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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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← Articles

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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Multiple Choice Questions on this study

In Miller 2025 et al., on spinal drill guide accuracy, what was the reported mean deviation between planned and actual screw entry/exit points?

A. Less than 2 mm
B. Between 2 and 4 mm
C. Between 4 and 6 mm
D. Over 6 mm
E. Zero deviation

Answer: Less than 2 mm

Explanation: The mean deviation was less than 1 mm across all entry and exit points, supporting guide accuracy.
In Miller 2025 et al., on spinal drill guide accuracy, what was a reported technical benefit of the SOP plate when used with the 3D-printed guides?

A. Required no dissection
B. Prevented any deviation
C. Acted as a reduction guide
D. Needed no screw tightening
E. Eliminated need for imaging

Answer: Acted as a reduction guide

Explanation: The plate helped realign vertebrae during screw placement, effectively serving as a reduction aid.
In Miller 2025 et al., on spinal drill guide accuracy, how long did it take to apply each drilling guide during surgery?

A. Less than 30 seconds
B. 1–2 minutes
C. 5 minutes
D. 10 minutes
E. Over 10 minutes

Answer: Less than 30 seconds

Explanation: Each vertebral guide took less than 30 seconds to place and drill, improving surgical efficiency.
In Miller 2025 et al., on spinal drill guide accuracy, what software was used to segment canine spines for guide creation?

A. 3D Studio Max
B. Blender
C. Slicer
D. Materialise Mimics
E. AutoCAD

Answer: Slicer

Explanation: 3D Slicer was used to segment CT data and generate 3D spinal models.
In Miller 2025 et al., on spinal drill guide accuracy, what was the Zdichavski classification for all screw placements?

A. Grade 1: Optimal placement
B. Grade 2a: Medial wall breach (partial)
C. Grade 2b: Medial wall breach (complete)
D. Grade 3a: Lateral wall breach (partial)
E. Grade 3b: Lateral wall breach (complete)

Answer: Grade 1: Optimal placement

Explanation: All 140 screw holes were classified as Grade 1, indicating fully contained, optimal placement.

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