UC San Diego Health has become the first health system in the world to perform an anterior cervical spine surgery using a fully personalized implant tailored to a patient’s anatomy, according to an Aug. 28 system news release.
The July 2025 procedure involved removing a damaged disc and fusing adjacent vertebrae using a custom implant created through advanced imaging, AI-assisted planning and 3D printing. Unlike traditional, one-size-fits-all devices, the patient-specific titanium implant is designed to improve spinal alignment, reduce complications and speed recovery.
“Every spine is unique, just like a fingerprint,” Joseph Osorio, MD, PhD, the neurosurgeon who led the procedure, said in the release. “With this technology, we can create an implant specifically for each patient, instead of asking their body to adapt to a standard device.”
The innovation could benefit patients with spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease or deformities by offering improved mobility, less pain and fewer corrective surgeries.
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