The Role of Three-Dimensional Printing in Contemporary Vascular and Endovascular Surgery: A Systematic Review

Three-dimensional (3D) printing, also known as rapid prototyping or additive manufacturing, is a novel adjunct in the medical field. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the role of 3D printing technology in the field of contemporary vascular surgery in terms of its technical aspect, practicability, and clinical outcome.

A systematic search of literatures published from January 1, 1980 to July 15, 2017 was identified from the EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Cochrane library database with reference to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline. The predefined selection inclusion criterion was clinical application of 3D printing technology in vascular surgery of large and small vessel pathology.

Forty-two articles were included in this systematic review, including 2 retrospective cohorts and 1 prospective case control study. 3D printing was mostly applied to abdominal aortic aneurysm (n = 20) and thoracic aorta pathology (n = 8), other vessels included celiac, splenic, carotid, subclavian, femoral artery, and portal vein (n = 10). The most commonly quoted materials were acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (n = 2), polylactic acid (n = 4), polyurethane resin (n = 3) and nylon (n = 3). The cost per replica ranged from USD $4-2,360. Cost for a commercial printer was around USD $2,210-50,000.

3D printing was recognized and gradually incorporated as a useful adjunct in the field of vascular and endovascular surgery. The production of an accurate anatomic patient-specific replica was shown to bring significant impact in patient management in terms of anatomic understanding, procedural planning, and intraoperative navigation, education, and academic research as well as patient communication. Further analysis on cost-effectiveness was indicated to guide decisions on applicability of such promising technology on a routine basis.