Improving Pre-Operative Evaluation and Surgical Planning of Spine Deformity Surgeries Using 3D Printing Available to Purchase

Visualization of spinal pathologies such as scoliosis is imperative to proper surgical treatment. Current visualization techniques use 2D representations of the anatomy in the form of radiographs, CT, or MRI. The ability to view patient anatomy in three dimensions prior to surgical intervention allows for a more thorough evaluation and planning of the surgical requirements. Manufacturing methods such as three dimensional printing can be employed to rapidly generate a physical 3D representation of patient anatomy which can be used for visualization and/or surgical planning.