Digital technique used in spinal deformity surgery

Abstract

Objective To provide a better preoperative design and precise intraoperative navigation in the spinal deformity surgery by digital technique. Methods From Decenber 2006 through August 2011.58 patients with spinal defornity requiring instrumcntation were recruited for the present study.They were 21 men and 37 women.aged from 3 to 68 years (average,21 years) After a three dimensional CT senning of the deformmed spine was performed,the data were transferred via a.dicom network to a computer workstattion Mimics software was used to generate three dimensional reconstruction models of the spine.Visual prcoperational plans simulating the actual surgery were designed.And visual drill templates which potentially enabled a fit in a lock-and-key fashion similar to a physical casting of the vertebral surfaee were also dcsigned.Acrylate drill guides were manufactured using rapid prototyping.The biomodels and drill guides were sterilized and used intraoperatively to asist surgical navigation and placement of instnumentation.Results The three dimensional preopcrational plans were found to he of great assishnce in the execution of the surgery.The navigational templates provided accurate screw placcrment without instrumental complications.The designs of the first 2 templates were suboptimal as the contact surfaee was too large and eomplex.Operating time was reduced as a result of less reliance on intraoperative radiographs Conclusion The digital technique is a novel method which can produce better preoperative design and precise intraoperative navigation for pedicle screw placcment in the spinal deformity surgery. Key words: Imaging, three-dimensional; Surg, computer-assisted; Spine; Models,anatomic