3D printing in spinal surgery-Update

The technique of 3D printing offers a high potential for further optimization of spinal surgery. This new technology has been published for different areas in the field of spinal surgery, e.g. in preoperative planning, intraoperative use as well as to create patient-specific implants. For example, it has been demonstrated that preoperative 3-dimensional visualization of spinal deformities is helpful in planning procedures. Moreover, insertion of pedicle screws seems to be more accurate when using individualized templates to guide the drill compared to freehand techniques. This review summarizes the current literature dealing with 3D printing in spinal surgery with special consideration of the current applications, the limitations and the future potential.