USA Health performs first surgery using 3D-printed cervical spine implant spanning six-state area
This milestone strengthens USA Health’s role as the region’s only academic health system, offering advanced treatment options backed by research and innovation to improve the health of communities across the Gulf Coast.
By Jessica Jones
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The USA Health Spine Institute has reached a major advancement in personalized spine care with the successful completion of a surgery using a customized 3D-printed implant designed specifically for a patient’s neck, or cervical spine. This marks the first procedure of its kind on the upper Gulf Coast, expanding on technology previously available only for lower back spine surgeries and offering patients a more precise and individualized treatment option.
Fewer than 75 tailored cervical spine implants have been used nationwide. The procedure is the first to be performed in a six-state area that includes South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, thus moving optimized spine surgery forward on a national scale.
Richard Menger, M.D., MPA, neurosurgeon and chief of complex spine surgery at the Spine Institute, performed the surgery at USA Health University Hospital. “Being able to provide a 3D-printed, patient-specific cervical spine implant is a game-changer for patients in our region,” Menger said. “It’s exciting to see how innovation can directly improve patient care here at USA Health.”
The implant used in the procedure was designed using advanced imaging tailored to the patient’s anatomy, providing improved fit and alignment compared with traditional implants. This technology integrates a design platform that uses artificial intelligence to generate both a customized surgical plan and the 3D-printed implant.
After spinal placement is confirmed, the surgeon views a 360-degree digital visualization of the device, reviews the specialized plan, and approves the order for the unique fixture. This process is intended to enhance implant accuracy during surgery, and preserve spinal stability and function over time, with the goal of reducing the likelihood of repeat procedures.
The personalized implant is provided at no additional cost to the patient, although insurance approval may be required before surgery.
This milestone strengthens USA Health’s role as the region’s only academic health system, offering advanced treatment options backed by research and innovation to improve the health of communities across the Gulf Coast.
