Customized 3-dimensional-printed Vertebral Implants for Spinal Reconstruction After Tumor Resection: A Systematic Review

Study design: Systematic review.

Objective: To examine the outcomes of customized 3-dimensional (3D) printed implants for spinal reconstruction after tumor resection.

Summary of background data: Various techniques exist for spinal reconstruction after tumor resection. Currently, there is no consensus regarding the utility of customized 3D-printed implants for spinal reconstruction after tumor resection.

Materials and methods: A systematic review was registered with PROSPERO and performed according to "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses" guidelines. All level I-V evidence studies reporting the use of 3D-printed implants for spinal reconstruction after tumor resection were included.

Results: Eleven studies (65 patients; mean age, 40.9 ± 18.1 y) were included. Eleven patients (16.9%) underwent intralesional resections with positive margins and 54 patients (83.1%) underwent en bloc spondylectomy with negative margins. All patients underwent vertebral reconstruction with 3D-printed titanium implants. Tumor involvement was in the cervical spine in 21 patients (32.3%), thoracic spine in 29 patients (44.6%), thoracolumbar junction in 2 patients (3.1%), and lumbar spine in 13 patients (20.0%). Ten studies with 62 patients reported perioperative outcomes radiologic/oncologic status at final follow-up. At the mean final follow-up of 18.5 ± 9.8 months, 47 patients (75.8%) had no evidence of disease, 9 patients (14.5%) were alive with recurrence, and 6 patients (9.7%) had died of disease. One patient who underwent C3-C5 en bloc spondylectomy had an asymptomatic subsidence of 2.7 mm at the final follow-up. Twenty patients that underwent thoracic and/or lumbar reconstruction had a mean subsidence of 3.8 ± 4.7 mm at the final follow-up; however, only 1 patient had a symptomatic subsidence that required revision surgery. Eleven patients (17.7%) had one or more major complications.

Conclusion: There is some evidence to suggest that using customized 3D-printed titanium or titanium alloy implants is an effective technique for spinal reconstruction after tumor resection. There is a high incidence of asymptomatic subsidence and major complications that are similar to other methods of reconstruction.

Level of evidence: Level V, systematic review of level I-V studies.