PhD Scientific Days 2026

Surgical Medicine

Biomechanical Comparison of 3D-Printed Patient-Specific Implants and Conventional Mesh Cages in Anterior Cervical Corpectomy: A Finite Element Study

Előadó neve

Mr. Pokorni, Ágoston Jakab

Neptune code

YEU5AU

Előadó munkahelye

3D Lab, National Center for Spinal Disorders

Előadó telefonszáma

06306776269

Előadó e-mail címe

pokorni.agoston@gmail.com

Az előadás címe

Biomechanical Comparison of 3D-Printed Patient-Specific Implants and Conventional Mesh Cages in Anterior Cervical Corpectomy: A Finite Element Study

Szerző(k) neve és munkahelye

Ágoston Jakab Pokorni¹, Márton Bartos¹, Benjámin Hajnal¹, Balázs Szöllősi², Dezső Jeszenszky², Péter Éltes²

1: 3D Lab, National Center for Spinal Disorders
2: National Center for Spinal Disorders

Bemutatás módja

Szóbeli

Szekció

Surgical Medicine

Language of the presentation

Hungarian

Preferred session

Surgical Medicine

Összefoglaló szövege

Introduction:
Anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF) manages diverse spinal pathologies. Despite its effectiveness, conventional titanium mesh cages (TMC) are associated with complications like implant subsidence and hardware failure. These issues are primarily attributed to titanium-bone stiffness mismatch and unfavorable load distribution due to limited vertebral endplate contact.
Aims:
This study aimed to evaluate the biomechanical performance of a novel modular patient-specific (PS) implant design with different material configurations compared to a standard TMC construct.
Methods:
A computational finite element (FE) study utilized a validated C2–T1 cervical spine model. A C5 corpectomy was simulated and reconstructed using four configurations: a conventional plate-mesh construct (PLATE-MESH-C), and three modular PS designs: (1) all-titanium, (2) all-PEEK, and (3) a hybrid combining a PEEK body with titanium endplates. Loading (73.6 N follower load, 1 Nm moment) simulated physiological motions. Outcomes included segmental motion, stiffness, and von Mises stress at the bone-implant interface and fixation screws.
Results:
All constructs reduced segmental motion by more than 65% (an average of 88%). The all-titanium PS design exhibited the highest stiffness, all-PEEK the greatest flexibility, and the hybrid demonstrated intermediate behavior. The conventional construct resulted in markedly higher stress concentrations at the bone-implant interface (peak 76.4 MPa). In contrast, all PS designs maintained significantly lower stress (<32 MPa). This difference is likely due to the PS designs having an average footprint of 155 mm² on the bone surface, compared to 27 mm² for the PLATE-MESH-C. Conventional construct fixation screws also experienced higher stress.
Conclusion:
Modular patient-specific implant designs demonstrate superior biomechanical performance over conventional TMCs in ACCF. Improved endplate conformity and increased contact area yield more homogeneous load distribution and reduced stress concentrations. The hybrid design offers a favorable stiffness-flexibility balance. These implants represent a promising approach to reducing subsidence and hardware failure, potentially improving surgical outcomes.
Funding:
Supported by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund grant in Budapest, Hungary (OTKAPD143698).

University

Semmelweis University

Supervisor

Péter Endre Éltes

Publication of my abstract

I do not give consent to the publication of my abstract on the website of the congress.

phd.section.field

after finishing doctoral studies with absolutorium (PhD)

Kind

Szabad

Status

elfogadva

Accepted presentation method

szóbeli

Előadás fájl jóváhagyás

nem rendelkezett róla

Előadó

7407

Start

16:30

End

16:40