# Posterior Spinal Fixation Using a Patient-Specific 3D-Printed Guide for a Sixth Thoracic Vertebral Fracture With Ankylosis and Severe Bone Sclerosis Due to Spondyloepiphyseal Dysplasia Congenita

## TL;DR

A 3D-printed guide enabled successful spinal surgery in a patient with a complex vertebral fracture and spinal disorder.

## Contribution

A patient-specific 3D-printed guide was successfully used for posterior spinal fixation in a challenging ASD case.

## Key findings

- Posterior spinal fixation was performed safely without intraoperative complications.
- The 3D-printed guide allowed successful surgery in a case previously considered unsuitable for minimally invasive techniques.

## Abstract

Vertebral fractures with ankylosing spinal disorder (ASD) are often painful due to the high level of instability and can lead to false joints and delayed paralysis; therefore, surgery is often required. Fixation using percutaneous pedicle screw (PPS) allows for minimally invasive fixation of the spine and is considered useful for ASD cases, but there is a risk of nerve damage during surgery and implant-related complications. Using a patient-specific 3D-printed guide, we were able to perform posterior spinal fixation without intraoperative complications in a patient with vertebral fractures with ASD, which was considered difficult to fix with PPS due to the person's past surgical experience.