Miller et al: Development and testing of an animal-specific and string-of-pearls (SOP) plate specific, three-dimensionally (3D) printed drilling guide: A proof of concept study for canine thoracolumbar spinal stabilization
Veterinary Surgery 6, 2025

🔍 Key Findings

  • 3D-printed, SOP plate-specific guides enabled safe screw placement from T12–L5 in canine cadavers and models.
  • All 140 screw trajectories were classified as Zdichavski Grade 1, indicating optimal placement without vertebral canal breach.
  • Screw angles (cranial-caudal and transverse) matched preoperative planning, with no significant deviation.
  • Entry/exit point deviations were <1 mm on average, deemed clinically negligible.
  • Drill guides were quick to place (<30 sec per vertebra) and improved ease of surgery.
  • Plates acted as effective reduction tools, guiding alignment during screw placement in mobile spines.
  • Minor technical challenges arose from cadaveric spine mobility, mitigated by sequential screw insertion.
  • Technique may enable future use in fracture/luxation reduction, pending further cadaveric and clinical trials.

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How critical is this paper for crushing the Boards?

🚨 Must-know. I’d bet on seeing this.

📚 Useful background, not must-know.

💤 Skip it. Doubt it’ll ever show up.

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