Introduction: Three-dimensional (3D) printed spinal cages are a new design of intervertebral body fusion devices. Clinical data on these devices are limited. The objective of this study was to describe six-month events for a new and older cage design.
Methods: A retrospective, descriptive cohort study of patients that received a 3D-printed-titanium or PEEK (polyetheretherketone) cage with single-level lumbar fusion was performed using a United States hospital-based database. Outcomes evaluated were device-related revision and non-device related reoperation events 6 months after lumbar fusion. The 3D-printed-titanium and PEEK groups were propensity-score matched. Both unmatched and matched groups were descriptively analyzed. There were 93 and 2,082 patients with a 3D-printed-titanium and PEEK cage that met study criteria. The sample size was 93 patients per group after matching.
Results: There were no occurrences of revisions in the 3D-printed-titanium and eleven occurrences in the PEEK group before matching; PEEK had no occurrences of revision after matching. Ten total reoperation events were identified.
Discussion: Our findings suggest occurrence of 6-month revision or reoperation is similar or lower for both cages than reported in published literature. The low occurrence of early events for 3D-printed-titianium cages is promising. Further, real-world studies on 3D-printed cages are warranted.
Keywords: 3D printed; Spinal cage; lumbar fusion; matched; revision.