Precision in action: Using patient-specific cutting guides for en bloc resection of large sacral chordomas – A case report
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: Background: Chordomas are rare malignant tumors of notochordal origin, with sacral chordomas being the most common. En bloc resection with negative margins is the preferred treatment for long-term disease control. However, the technical complexity of en bloc sacrectomy cannot be overstated. This case report highlights the use of a patient-specific 3D-printed cutting guide to assist in the precise en bloc resection of a large sacral chordoma. Case Description: A 51-year-old male with a history of refractory constipation and lower back pain was diagnosed with a large sacral chordoma. Preoperative planning included the creation of a patient-specific 3D-printed cutting guide used to make precise bony cuts while preserving critical structures. Complete en bloc resection with negative margins was achieved. The patient recovered well postoperatively; follow-up imaging at 13 months showed no tumor recurrence. At 25 months, however, a small recurrence was noted in the right piriformis/gluteal muscle. Conclusion: The use of a 3D-printed cutting guide is a novel technology that can be used to facilitate en bloc resection of bony tumors. Use of the cutting guide simplified the technical difficulty involved with more traditional methods for sacrectomy.
Source: Surgical Neurology International
Institutions: University of Michigan, Western Michigan University
Language: English
Subfield: Rheumatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4415985848