3D-printed PEEK spinal implants are successfully used in first US surgeries.
The first surgeries in the US using a cutting-edge spinal implant created using Evonik’s VESTAKEEP i4 3DF PEEK filament biomaterial took place earlier this month, marking a significant development in the field of medicine.
This 3D-printed, fully interconnected porous polyether ether ketone (PEEK) implant was created by US technology company Curiteva and has been given US Food and Drug Administration approval for commercial use.
In 2018,
the German chemical company Evonik first revealed the i4 3DF PEEK material, and in 2020 it became widely available.
The ground-breaking surgeries were performed in the middle of April using Curiteva’s Inspire platform and Evonik’s VESTAKEEP i4 3DF PEEK high-performance polymer.
Curiteva, a 2017-founded US business, also created,
programmed, and constructed the proprietary
, patented 3D printer used to produce the implant.
The lattice PEEK architecture made possible by Curiteva’s 3D printing technology,
according to Dr Alex Vaccaro, President of the Rothman Orthopedic Institute in Philadelphia, was hailed as a significant improvement in the spine, orthopaedic, and neurosurgical procedures involving biologic implants.
Dr Kevin Foley, professor of neurosurgery,
orthopaedic surgery, and biomedical engineering at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and chairman of the Semmes-Murphey Neurologic and Spine Institute,
also praised the Inspire porous PEEK technology and emphasized its impressive interconnected porosity, modulus of elasticity comparable to cancellous bone,
strong biomechanical properties, radiolucency, and bioactive surface for osseointegration.
Materials for 3D printing in the medical field
Dutch PEEK 3D printing startup companies Together,
Bond3D and Invibio Biomaterial Solutions are developing next-generation spinal cages, which will aid in patient recovery.
These spinal cages not only carry over the therapeutic advantages of their forerunners but also have the required porosity to encourage the formation of new bone. To obtain FDA approval,
the cages are currently going through regulatory procedures.
Bond3D is an expert in creating functional parts out of high-performance polymers for vital applications in the automotive, aerospace, energy, and medical industries.
Bond3D has created highly porous spinal cage 3D printing capabilities in collaboration with Invibio Biomaterial,
enabling the development of fourth-generation implants with improved biomechanical and biocompatibility properties to support bone regrowth.
In collaboration with a spinal implant developer based in the US,
the companies are putting the finishing touches on submitting an FDA application for one of these devices.
leveraging biomedical 3d printing
Recent developments in the use of 3D-printed ceramics for medical applications are advancing in addition to polymers.
In a recent interview,
Johannes Homa, CEO of Lithoz, stressed the significance of uncompromised material quality for 3D-printed ceramics.
In the interview, Lithoz’s Daniel Bomze, Director of Medical Solutions
, also talked about the company’s work on bone replacement materials like Lithabone HA 480,
which is chemically identical to human bones and has excellent osteoconductivity and biocompatibility.
The patient’s bone material is used to replace the implant as the 3D-printed ceramic implant dissolves. Applications for Lithoz’s medical ceramics include patient-specific cranial implants and long bone replacement for critical-size defects.
