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Advances in 3-Dimensional Printing in Otolaryngology: A Review
Kyle K VanKoevering1, Scott J Hollister2, Glenn E Green1
1Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Importance:
Three-dimensional (3-D) printing is an exponentially growing technology that enables the use of a patient's image data to create patient-specific models, devices, and implants. Three-dimensional printing, developed in the 1980s, has emerged in the past decade with the potential to create new paradigms in personalized medicine.
Observations:
The field of otolaryngology has advanced many current and evolving future medical applications of 3-D printing. The predominant uses of 3-D printing have rapidly progressed from patient-specific models and simulators to intraoperative guides. Continued advancements now include 3-D-printed implants and future tissue-engineered constructs, which bring new regulatory challenges. This review summarizes the literature and provides a comprehensive guide to the background, applications, and current limitations of 3-D printing across the head and neck.
Conclusions And Relevance:
Three-dimensional printing enables the rapid production of patient-specific devices for personalized medicine. The field of otolaryngology has pioneered many of the underlying advancements in medical 3-D printing and will continue to remain at the forefront of 3-D printing technology.
