Additive manufacturing offers new design options for PEEK spinal cages. This article examines 3D Systems’ approach to patient-specific geometries, material use, and hybrid implants.
PEEK (polyetheretherketone) implants have long been used in spinal surgery. Machining can limit the porous geometries available to device designers. 3D Systems presents an integrated process for manufacturing porous PEEK spinal cages, including variants enhanced with hydroxyapatite (HA) or biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP). These developments aim to combine design flexibility with mechanical and surface properties suited to the intended implant.
The following sections explore the manufacturing possibilities described by 3D Systems. They do not establish clinical superiority over other spinal implants.
PEEK in spinal surgery
PEEK has long been viewed as appealing due to its biocompatibility, radiolucency, and mechanical similarity to human bone. Traditional manufacturing methods – machining and molding – often face limitations in producing complex geometries, such as porous structures associated with enhanced osseointegration capabilities. 3D printing has stepped in to respond to these challenges. What this means for OEMs is the emergence of a new manufacturing process that can transform and expand their existing PEEK spinal cages portfolio.
- Customization and patient-specific designs: 3D printing allows device designers to adjust porosity and surface texture with the aim of promoting osseointegration, or bone integration with the implant.
- Reduced material waste and cost: 3D printing can reduce material waste compared with machining. Actual material consumption and cost also depend on supports, rejected builds, post-processing and production volume.
- Competitive Advantage: Additive manufacturing can support innovative projects, combining new designs and materials, allowing OEMs to differentiate their products in a competitive market.
3D Systems describes an integrated approach to working with medical device manufacturers, from concept and design through manufacturing and regulatory submission support. Market access remains dependent on the applicable requirements for each device.
Why OEMs choose 3D Systems: Proprietary process for spinal cage production
What sets 3D Systems apart is its proprietary process for spinal cage production for medical device manufacturers, which redefines how PEEK spinal cages are developed and produced.
Manufacturing without compromising quality. Due to the stringent conditions required for printing PEEK, it took time for 3D printing to mature to the point where it could reliably process such an advanced material in complex geometries. That’s why hardware matters: the progress made to overcome these challenges culminated in the EXT 220 MED platform by 3D Systems, an extrusion platform designed for medical-device manufacturing. It uses extrusion-based technology to produce clean PEEK spinal cages with highly intricate designs and superb finishes.
Designing for mechanical performance. Digital design allows manufacturers to combine lattice structures and denser regions to adjust the mechanical behaviour of a spinal cage. The performance of a finished implant, including its suitability for a particular indication, still requires device-specific verification and validation.
Leveraging such a predictable process offers an opportunity for OEMs to join forces and work with 3D Systems to develop new, innovative applications. For example, hybrid cages: combining a PEEK body with a titanium endplate that can offer enhanced structural and integration properties. Beyond that, 3D Systems also facilitates the production of trial implants for surgical testing and carbon-reinforced PEEK cervical plates, providing a comprehensive solution for all elements surrounding spinal implants.
Based on extensive experience working on minimizing the time it takes innovative solutions to impact patient lives, the 3D Systems team works closely with OEMs to help them accelerate the time of a new device to market.
New design possibilities for PEEK spinal cages. The AM capabilities from 3D Systems have enabled a paradigm shift when it comes to PEEK spinal cages.
- From dense PEEK cages with a graft window to open porous structure cages to promote bone integration
- From using mostly virgin, inert PEEK to using osseointegrative PEEK variants (Biphasic Calcium Phosphate/Hydroxyapatite enhanced) that are claimed to promote bone growth
- From occasionally applying titanium (Ti) coatings on spinal cages for enhanced osseointegration to designing more tailored structural solutions that have dense areas taking the load only where needed
The new generation of PEEK spinal cages not only offers improved structural design, but they are also claimed to promote enhanced clinical outcomes.
3D Systems presents these capabilities as a route to more tailored spinal cage designs. Porosity and material composition are design variables, not guarantees of fusion rates or recovery time. Clinical claims must be supported by evidence for the relevant device and indication.
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