Aplication of the stereolithography technique in complex spine surgery

many techniques have been proposed for surgical training as a learning process for young surgeons or for the simulation of complex procedures. stereolithograpfy, a rapid prototyping technique, has been presented recently as an option for these purposes. we describe the case of a 12 years old boy, diagnosed with ewing′s sarcoma in the cervical spine. after a surgical simulation accomplished in the prototype, built by stereolithography, the patient was submitted to a c4 corpectomy and to a c4 and c3 laminectomy with anterior and posterior fixation, a non intercurrence procedure. this technique is an innovative and complementary tool in diagnosis and therapy. as a result, it is easier for the surgeon to understand the complexity of the case and plan the approach before any surgical procedure.