UCI Health surgical team pioneers use of carbon fiber implants in spine
Material creates higher quality scans, reduces radiation exposure, says spine surgeon
Orange, Calif. — Surgeons at UCI Health are among the earliest adopters of posterior cervical carbon fiber implants to treat spine conditions.
The first case at the academic health system in September 2025 was a patient with thyroid cancer that had spread to the upper spine, injuring the spinal cord and causing the loss of use of the patient’s right hand.
After the patient’s tumor was removed, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Hao-Hua Wu and neurosurgeon Dr. Hansen Bow performed a posterior reconstruction and stabilization of the cervical and thoracic spine with a hybrid carbon fiber and titanium construct.
The patient returned to work a few weeks later.
The milestone is an important leap forward for access to innovative spine care at UCI Health, as one of the few places in Orange County equipped to offer the new technology.
Innovation that benefits patients
The milestone also represents the significant collaboration between specialties at UCI Health, in which surgeons and experts from orthopedics, neurosurgery and cancer came together to treat the patient. When experts an an academic medical center are able to come together, it creates space for innovation that benefits patients.
“This really fosters an open, safe environment where complex cases can be addressed and discussed,” Wu says.
UCI Health neurosurgeon Dr. Hansen Bow.
Benefits of carbon fiber
Wu says carbon fiber has a few benefits over titanium.
“There’s the visual ‘wow’ factor. You can’t see it on X-rays, but you can see it on a CT scan.”
That’s because, unlike titanium, carbon fiber doesn’t create shadows, so images are much higher quality. It’s a radiolucent material that enables clear visibility of the affected area on X-rays and MRIs, so any tumor recurrence can more easily be seen.
Its radiolucency also means a lower radiation dose for patients who need treatment by a radiation oncologist afterwards. Since radiolucency allows for better visualization, the carbon fiber implants enable radiation oncologist to plan for a smaller dose through a technique known as stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), which is a form of radiation therapy treatment offered at UCI Health.
Recognized for pioneering work
Wu has long pursued innovative approaches to spine care locally and abroad, which earned him recognition from SpineLine Magazine in its 20 Under 40 list of 2025.
In 2024, he founded the Global Spine Research Initiative, which is the first orthopaedic program at an academic medical center dedicated to advancing spine care in low- and middle-income countries through research and education. It has launched more than 20 projects and formed partnerships with spine centers in Nepal, Tanzania and Ethiopia.
“Through academic collaboration, we hope to uplift communities worldwide by improving health outcomes and enhancing quality of life,” he said.
His research interests include patient-reported outcome measures in spine surgery, global health, leadership and medical education. He is the author of many peer-reviewed articles in preeminent orthopaedic journals.
Learn more about the UCI Health Comprehensive Spine Center.
About UCI Health
UCI Health, one of California’s largest academic health systems, is the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. The 1,461-bed system comprises its main campus UCI Health — Orange, its flagship hospital, the UCI Health — Irvine acute care hospital and medical campus, four hospitals and affiliated physicians of the UCI Health Community Network in Orange and Los Angeles counties and a network of ambulatory care centers across the region. UCI Health — Orange provides tertiary and quaternary care and is home to the only Orange County-based National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, high-risk perinatal/neonatal program and American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, gold level 1 geriatric emergency department and regional burn center. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people in Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X (formerly Twitter).