{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,6]],"date-time":"2026-09-06T17:48:01Z","timestamp":1788716881231,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":42,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,28]],"date-time":"2022-03-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1648425600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Life"],"abstract":"<jats:p>In spinal surgery, 3D prothesis represents a useful instrument for spinal reconstruction after the removal of spinal tumors that require an \u201cen bloc\u201d resection. This represents a complex and demanding procedure, aiming to restore spinal length, alignment and weight-bearing capacity and to provide immediate stability. Thus, in this systematic review the authors searched the literature to investigate and discuss the advantages and limitations of using 3D-printed custom-made vertebral bodies in the treatment of spinal tumors. A systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement, with no limits in terms of date of publication. The collected studies were exported to Mendeley. The articles were selected according to the following inclusion criteria: availability of full articles, full articles in English, studies regarding the implant of 3D custom-made prothesis after total or partial vertebral resection, studies regarding patients with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of primary spinal tumor or solitary bone metastasis; studies evaluating the implant of 3d custom-made prothesis in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. Nineteen published studies were included in this literature review, and include a total of 87 patients, 49 males (56.3%) and 38 females (43.7%). The main tumoral location and primary tumor diagnosis were evaluated. The 3D custom-made prothesis represents a feasible tool after tumor en-bloc resection in spinal reconstruction. This procedure is still evolving, and long-term follow-ups are mandatory to assess its safeness and usefulness.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/life12040489","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,29]],"date-time":"2022-03-29T21:41:30Z","timestamp":1648590090000},"page":"489","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":35,"title":["The Role of 3D-Printed Custom-Made Vertebral Body Implants in the Treatment of Spinal Tumors: A Systematic Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3215-7179","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Roberta","family":"Costanzo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP \u201cPaolo Giaccone\u201d, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2305-5544","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gianluca","family":"Ferini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Radiation Oncology, REM Radioterapia s.r.l., 95125 Catania, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lara","family":"Brunasso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP \u201cPaolo Giaccone\u201d, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lapo","family":"Bonosi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP \u201cPaolo Giaccone\u201d, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Massimiliano","family":"Porzio","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP \u201cPaolo Giaccone\u201d, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Umberto Emanuele","family":"Benigno","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP \u201cPaolo Giaccone\u201d, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sofia","family":"Musso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP \u201cPaolo Giaccone\u201d, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rosa Maria","family":"Gerardi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP \u201cPaolo Giaccone\u201d, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6309-8963","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giuseppe Roberto","family":"Giammalva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP \u201cPaolo Giaccone\u201d, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced 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Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1573-431X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giuseppe Emmanuele","family":"Umana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Trauma Center, Gamma Knife Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Cannizzaro Hospital, 95100 Catania, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4080-2492","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Carmelo Lucio","family":"Sturiale","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. 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Gemelli IRCCS, Universit\u00e0 Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00100 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Domenico Gerardo","family":"Iacopino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP \u201cPaolo Giaccone\u201d, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rosario","family":"Maugeri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neurosurgical Clinic, AOUP \u201cPaolo Giaccone\u201d, Post Graduate Residency Program in Neurologic Surgery, Department of Biomedicine Neurosciences and Advanced Diagnostics, School of Medicine, University of Palermo, 90127 Palermo, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"115","DOI":"10.1186\/s12938-016-0236-4","article-title":"3D-printing techniques in a medical setting: A systematic literature review","volume":"15","author":"Tack","year":"2016","journal-title":"Biomed. 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Spine J."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3073","DOI":"10.1007\/s00586-018-5708-8","article-title":"Biomimetic 3D-printed custom-made prosthesis for anterior column reconstruction in the thoracolumbar spine: A tailored option following en bloc resection for spinal tumors: Preliminary results on a case-series of 13 patients","volume":"27","author":"Girolami","year":"2018","journal-title":"Eur. Spine J."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"190","DOI":"10.4103\/sni.sni_70_17","article-title":"A thoracic vertebral localization of a metastasized cutaneous Merkel cell carcinoma: Case report and review of literature","volume":"8","author":"Maugeri","year":"2017","journal-title":"Surg. Neurol. Int."},{"key":"ref_6","first-page":"1157","article-title":"Unusual case of dorsal vertebral metastases from a male breast cancer","volume":"2017","author":"Maugeri","year":"2017","journal-title":"Acta Med. Mediterr."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"81","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-39546-3_13","article-title":"Reconstruction of vertebral body after radiofrequency ablation and augmentation in dorsolumbar metastatic vertebral fracture: Analysis of clinical and radiological outcome in a clinical series of 18 patients","volume":"124","author":"Maugeri","year":"2017","journal-title":"Trends Reconstr. Neurosurg."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"314","DOI":"10.21037\/jss.2016.12.06","article-title":"Application of a 3D custom printed patient specific spinal implant for C1\/2 arthrodesis","volume":"2","author":"Phan","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Spine Surg."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"892","DOI":"10.1016\/j.spinee.2018.01.019","article-title":"Vertebral body replacement using patient-specific three\u2013dimensional-printed polymer implants in cervical spondylotic myelopathy: An encouraging preliminary report","volume":"18","author":"Amelot","year":"2018","journal-title":"Spine J."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"949","DOI":"10.1111\/os.12975","article-title":"Preliminary Results of a 3D-Printed Modular Vertebral Prosthesis for Anterior Column Reconstruction after Multilevel Thoracolumbar Total En Bloc Spondylectomy","volume":"13","author":"Tang","year":"2021","journal-title":"Orthop. Surg."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tang, X., Cai, Z., Wang, R., Ji, T., and Guo, W. (2021). En bloc resection and reconstruction of a huge chondrosarcoma involving multilevel upper thoracic spine and chest wall: Case report. BMC Musculoskelet. Disord., 22.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12891-021-04208-6"},{"key":"ref_12","first-page":"115","article-title":"One-stage posterior en-bloc spondylectomy following reconstruction with individualized 3D printed artificial vertebrae for multi-segment thoracolumbar metastases: Case report and literature review","volume":"13","author":"Wang","year":"2021","journal-title":"Am. J. Transl. Res."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e327-41","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wneu.2019.09.002","article-title":"Use of 3-Dimensional Printing Technology in Complex Spine Surgeries","volume":"133","author":"Lador","year":"2020","journal-title":"World Neurosurg."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"226","DOI":"10.1016\/j.wneu.2019.11.167","article-title":"C3-C5 Chordoma Resection and Reconstruction with a Three-Dimensional Printed Titanium Patient-Specific Implant","volume":"136","author":"Parr","year":"2020","journal-title":"World Neurosurg."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"667","DOI":"10.1097\/BRS.0000000000003360","article-title":"3D-printed Titanium Prosthetic Reconstruction of the C2 Vertebra: Techniques and Outcomes of Three Consecutive Cases","volume":"45","author":"Hunn","year":"2020","journal-title":"Spine"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"332","DOI":"10.21037\/atm.2020.03.32","article-title":"Upper cervical spine reconstruction using customized 3D-printed vertebral body in 9 patients with primary tumors involving C2","volume":"8","author":"Wei","year":"2020","journal-title":"Ann. 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J."}],"container-title":["Life"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2075-1729\/12\/4\/489\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T22:44:40Z","timestamp":1760136280000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2075-1729\/12\/4\/489"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,28]]},"references-count":42,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,4]]}},"alternative-id":["life12040489"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/life12040489","relation":{},"ISSN":["2075-1729"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2075-1729","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,28]]}}}