The effectiveness and safety of 3-dimensional printed composite guide plate for atlantoaxial pedicle screw: A retrospective study

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the application of a 3-dimensional (3D)-printed composite guide plate for atlantoaxial pedicle screw. This was a retrospective study. A total of 43 atlantoaxial dislocation patients admitted in our hospital between January 2014 and October 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. According to the different methods of operation, patients were divided into 2 groups: 3D-printed plate group (n = 19) and traditional fixation group (n = 24). Placement time, operation duration, fluoroscopy number, intraoperative bleeding volume, and the neck and shoulder pain visual analog scale and Japanese Orthopaedic Association cervical nerve function scores were compared between pre- and postoperation. Differences in general data between these 2 groups were not statistically significant (P > .05). For patients in the 3D-printed plate group, a total of 68 assisting screws were placed at the pedicle, the accuracy rate of screw placement was 94.1%, placement time was 2.2 ± 0.4 minutes, fluoroscopy number was 4.6 ± 1.1 times, operation duration was 197 ± 41 minutes, and intraoperative bleeding volume was 395 ± 64 mL. In the traditional fixation group, a total of 76 screws were placed at the pedicle of patients, the accuracy rate of screw placement was 76.3%, placement time was 3.4 ± 0.7 minutes, fluoroscopy number was 9.4 ± 2.7 times, operation duration was 245 ± 67 minutes, and intraoperative bleeding volume was 552 ± 79 mL. Differences in accuracy rate, placement time, fluoroscopy number, operation duration, and intraoperative bleeding volume between these 2 groups were statistically significant (P < .05). The effectiveness and safety of 3D-printed composite guide plate for atlantoaxial pedicle screw were better than traditional method.