We have previously written about how the Raise3D Pro2 is used for printing surgical guides. In this article, we will talk about intervertebral cages developed and patented by the Pozvonoq startup of the North-West Technology Transfer Center and the Russian manufacturing company Ortoinvest, which specializes in the development and production of power equipment and implants for traumatology and orthopedics.

The Fusion-F product belongs to the category of 3D printed intervertebral cages for anterior lumbar interbody fusion. It is used as an implant when replacing a damaged intervertebral disc by accessing the affected area through the abdominal cavity. This type of surgical intervention presupposes special requirements for the design features of a spinal implant: a carefully considered shape geometry and securing system, biocompatibility, and material strength. All these characteristics have been taken into account when creating the Fusion-F series of cages. The concept of the product was developed by neurosurgeons of the Vreden National Medical Research Center of Traumatology and Orthopaedics and transferred to Pozvonoq for further refinement and adaptation for serial additive manufacturing.

“The developed model of an intervertebral cage is equipped with fixing elements. This feature allows implants to be installed without additional attachment systems, ensuring high primary stability and absence of migration in the postoperative period,” says Olga Voblaya, director of the Pozvonoq startup.

The products will be made from biocompatible titanium alloy by means of 3D printing. The Fusion-F line includes 33 typical cage sizes. In addition, Pozvonoq will produce individual implants, taking into account the anatomical features of patients. The production time will be ten to fifteen days from the date of order, the average cost being about 50,000 rubles (under $700). The sale of the product will be carried out by Altermedica, one of the leading distributors of medical products on the Russian market of traumatology and orthopedics.

The North-West Technology Transfer Center is part of the investment network of the fund for infrastructure and educational programs of the Rusnano Group, whose activities are aimed at the commercialization of technologies in the nanoindustry based on the combination of laboratory and technological equipment, as well as a range of marketing and business services for small innovative companies. The center carries out a full cycle of venture construction: it creates high-tech companies from an idea to the sale of a ready-made business.

Pozvonoq is a joint company of the North-West Technology Transfer Center and the Russian manufacturing company Ortoinvest engaged in medical endoprostheses using additive technologies. The main products of the Pozvonoq startup are 3D-printed intervertebral cages used in the treatment and rehabilitation of patients after injuries or serious diseases of the spine.

The Vreden National Medical Research Center of Traumatology and Orthopaedics is the largest clinical, scientific, and educational institution in the field of traumatology and orthopedics in Russia. It comprises twenty-two clinical and ten scientific departments. The center has 760 beds for the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with traumatological and orthopedic profiles.

Pozvonoq to Launch Production of 3D-Printed Intervertebral Cages