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[Research progress of three-dimensional printing technique in foot and ankle surgery]
Daiqing Wei1, Cui Li1, Yangbo Xu2
1Department of Bone and Joint Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou Sichuan, 646000, P.R.China.
Objective:
To review the current research progress of three-dimensional (3-D) printing technique in foot and ankle surgery.
Methods:
Recent literature associated with the clinical application of 3-D printing technique in the field of medicine, especially in foot and ankle surgery was reviewed, summarized, and analyzed.
Results:
At present, 3-D printing technique has been applied in foot and ankle fracture, segmental bone defect, orthosis, corrective surgery, reparative and reconstructive surgery which showed satisfactory effectiveness. Currently, there are no randomized controlled trials and the medium to long term follow-up is necessary.
Conclusion:
The printing materials, time, cost, medical ethics, and multi-disciplinary team restricted the application of 3-D printing technique, but it is still a promising technique in foot and ankle surgery.
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