Abstract:Objective To investigate the effect of 3D-printed models combined with multimedia technology in assisting posterior reduction, fixation, and intervertebral bone graft fusion for the treatment of C-type thoracolumbar fractures.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 80 patients with C-type thoracolumbar fractures treated in the Department of Orthopedics at Hengshui People's Hospital between January 2023 and December 2024. According to different surgical methods, patients were divided into a control group (n = 38), who underwent posterior reduction, fixation, and intervertebral bone graft fusion, and an observation group (n = 42), who underwent surgery assisted by 3D-printed models combined with multimedia technology. The screw implantation conditions (number of screws, time per screw placement, intraoperative blood loss, and fluoroscopy frequency), screw placement accuracy (deviation of medial inclination angle and cephalad inclination angle), vertebral slippage rate, one-time screw placement success rate, complication rate, and preoperative and 3-month postoperative outcomes including injured vertebral height restoration ratio, Cobb angle, Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores were compared between the two groups.Results The time required for placement of each screw in the observation group was significantly shorter than that in the control group (P 0.05). Intraoperative blood loss and fluoroscopy frequency were also significantly lower in the observation group (P 0.05). The deviations of medial inclination angle and cephalad inclination angle were smaller in the observation group than in the control group (P 0.05). The vertebral slippage rate was lower, while the one-time screw placement success rate was higher in the observation group (P 0.05). At 3 months postoperatively, the observation group showed a higher injured vertebral height restoration ratio and JOA scores, and lower Cobb angle and ODI scores compared with the control group (P 0.05). The improvements in the injured vertebral height restoration ratio, Cobb angle, and JOA scores from preoperative to postoperative values were also greater in the observation group (P 0.05). The overall complication rate was significantly higher in the control group than in the observation group (P 0.05).Conclusion The application of 3D-printed models combined with multimedia technology in assisting posterior reduction, fixation, and intervertebral bone graft fusion demonstrates significant clinical benefits. It can shorten the time required for screw placement, improve screw placement accuracy, reduce intraoperative blood loss, fluoroscopy frequency, vertebral slippage rate, and complication rate, and increase the success rate of one-time screw placement. Moreover, it facilitates the restoration of the injured vertebral height and promotes functional recovery.