New 3D Printed Cervical Cage Successfully Implanted in Patients
In the medical industry, the use of 3D printed prostheses have frequently been used to enhance or fully replace parts of patients’ bodies. These 3D solutions are often instrumental in aiding the comfort or mobility of patients whose main goal is to return to a normal life. While some of the major advances have been in the skull, hips, or knees, researchers from the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University have recently made a breakthrough in spinal surgery with the first successful installment of a 3D printed cervical cage recently created by medical implant company FloSpine LLC.
The implant, known as the Ti-Largo 3D Printed Cervical Cage, is a device that is meant to hold open the space between two levels of the spine, allowing bone to grow through and eventually fuse. Spinal cages like this are generally used to treat different injuries or conditions related to damage to spinal disks or vertebrae, and to repair bone growth, posture and increase support in the spine. 3D printing allows the cages to be made from a variety of robust materials such as PEEK, ceramic or titanium alloy, the latter of which the Ti-Largo 3D Printed Cervical Cage is made out of.
The Ti-Largo 3D Printed Cervical Cage seen after implantation (Photo credits: Research Park at FAU / FloSpine)
FloSpine’s Custom Spinal Solution
The Ti-Largo 3D Printed Cervical Cage is designed to work seamlessly paired with a second FloSpine device, the Panama Anterior Cervical Plate which together form an all-encompassing treatment for the cervical spine, which are the first seven vertebrae connected below the skull. The main focus of the Ti-Largo design is on the distinct needs of each individual patient. Because it is produced via 3D printing, each piece can be custom fitted and shaped to best suit the needs of the wearer. In addition, the team behind the implant focused heavily on optimal biocompatibility, or the least amount of resistance the device has with the living body around it, as well as maximizing promotion of bone growth within the cage area.
The cervical cage must necessarily be installed via surgery, which can often be its own tribulation, but the designers of the Ti-Largo have stated that the implant is made for minimally invasive surgery to reduce the risks associated with surgery and speed up the post-surgery recovery time. The device has already been cleared by the FDA, hence the successful surgeries carried out in the past few months at the Research Park at Florida Atlantic University, with a positive outlook for continued treatments in the near future.
Remarking on the first successes after implantation, Dr. John Afshar from the Palm Beach Neuroscience Institute stated, “The Ti-Largo cervical cage represents a major leap forward in cervical spine surgery. Its patient-specific design and 3D printing technology have the potential to revolutionize the way we approach these procedures, offering greater precision and improved outcomes for our patients.” For more information on the Ti-Largo 3D Printed Cervical Cage, you can read the report HERE.
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*Cover Photo Credits: Research Park at FAU / FloSpine
