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Faster Bone Fusion with 3D-Printed Spinal Implants

Spinal implants from Tsunami Medical fuse with bone faster than conventional options, thanks to a highly sophisticated mesh structure made possible by advanced 3D printing systems from a leading global technology provider.

Innovative Thinking from Italy

Stefano Caselli, managing director of Italian medical technology company Tsunami Medical, thrives on innovation that improves patient outcomes and simplifies surgical procedures. Located in Modena and Mirandola, Tsunami manufactures tools for minimally invasive procedures and biopsies—and specializes in spinal cages, which serve as placeholders between vertebrae.

Next-Generation Structure

Tsunami’s spinal cages feature a finely woven metal mesh with ultra-thin struts, differing from many other designs that rely on screw holes to attach to surrounding bone. “That design is outdated,” says Caselli, explaining that it originated during the use of PEEK, a plastic that doesn’t integrate well with bone. Despite the shift to 3D printing, many manufacturers still replicate these outdated features. Tsunami, however, rethought everything.

Designed for 3D Printing from the Start

Since entering the field of additive manufacturing in 2010, Tsunami has fully optimized its designs for titanium—a stiff but biocompatible material. By carefully engineering the implant geometry as a mesh, the team achieved both flexibility and stability. “The porous surface allows rapid bone growth,” Caselli notes. A Cambridge University study supports this claim, finding bone growth through the mesh within 4–5 days—faster than with standard implants.

Expandable Solutions for Personalized Care

Caselli and his team are now developing expandable implants that can adjust to the patient’s anatomy during surgery. This allows for tailored treatment while minimizing the number of implant variants hospitals need to stock.

Tsunami is also introducing the third generation of its spinal cages, now featuring an integrated fixation mechanism that secures the implant directly to bone—making surgical procedures quicker and easier.

A Global Technology Partner Enables Progress

To bring these complex designs to life, Tsunami needed more advanced manufacturing capabilities. Their earlier 3D printing systems couldn’t print the implant and its internal mechanism in one setup. That’s when Caselli turned to a global leader in additive manufacturing.

Starting with a smaller system for prototyping, the company then transitioned to a high-performance industrial 3D printer with dual 500-watt lasers and a large build volume. This allowed Tsunami to double production speed and stack up to six implants per print job—with consistent quality across all layers.

Scalable, High-Quality Manufacturing

“The new system was the ideal solution,” says Caselli. “It lets us produce complex titanium implants with integrated mechanisms in a single build. And the large build volume supports mass production—all while maintaining the precision and reliability medical technology demands.”

Innovation Needs Reliable Support

With a trusted global technology partner supporting their ideas, Tsunami Medical is well-positioned to keep innovating. As Caselli says, “We never run out of good ideas. And now, we have the tools to turn them into reality.”