Intended use

A herniated or degenerative intervertebral disc can cause nerve root and/or spinal cord compression,

leading to pain for the patient. In some cases, surgical treatments such as spinal fusion are necessary

to improve the quality of life and to prevent from further possible clinical problems. A spinal fusion

consists of decompressing two vertebrae after a disc herniation, removal of the damaged disc and

then insertion of a fusion cage between the upper and the lower vertebra to maintain the disc height

and lordotic angle.

Ceramic 3D printed technologies allow for production of implants with extremely complex

geometries which include dense ceramic, textured surfaces and trabecular structures. In general,

texturing of the surface has been shown to be advantageous for cell differentiation, bone ingrowth

and can enable an increase in implant?to?bone integration.

Advantages with 3D printed spinal implants

1. The conventional ceramic manufacturing (i.e. green machining by milling and turning) has

limitations which make the production of ceramic with textured or trabecular regions too difficult

or too expensive. The goal is to quickly manufacture less expensive implants with complex

geometries.

2. Create porous rough surfaces that stimulate the bone ingrowth, allow for bone integration

between the bone and the implant and aid in the primary stability of the implant.

3. Create a stable trabecular interconnected structure without the risk of debris release in the

body that can lead to implant loosening.

The CAD model in the picture below is an example of a spinal cage first prototype which can be 3Dprinted.

These products are under development and are not approved by any authority.