Spine Talk

Read the full blog here: https://texasback.com/the-future-of-spine-surgery-will-involve-3d-printing/ There is an interesting intersection at work between the disciplines of mechanical engineering and orthopedic surgery. For example, spine surgeon Dr. Michael Hisey of Texas Back Institute earned his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from The California Institute of Technology. Of course, he then went on to medical school and specialized in orthopedic surgery, but his fascination with engineering continues to this day. This partially explains his interest in the 3D printing of medical devices. A Brief History of 3D Printing While it seems that 3D technology has just recently burst on the scene, in fact, it has been around since 1981. It was originally known as “additive manufacturing” and was invented by Hideo Kodama of Nagoya Municipal Industrial Research Institute in Japan. The first medical application of 3D printing occurred in 1999 when scientists at Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Me