Rapid Prototyping Assisted Design and Development of Inter-Vertebral Implants

This paper presents a case study of applying rapid prototyping in assisting in the design and development of inter-vertebral implants for spine fusions. The major process of design and implant development, its biological and mechanical requirements, the approach for developing a 3D reconstructive vertebral anatomy model, the inter-vertebral implant CAD model, and the integration with a finite element analysis for the implant's structural analysis are presented. The process of 3D Printing of the vertebral anatomy and the inter-vertebral implant is described. The application of the prototyping model in assisting in the inter-vertebral anatomic fitting, in guiding the implant's geometric design, in helping with the virtual surgical planning, and in understanding the implant's mechanical properties and structural stability are discussed.