3D-printed patient-specific applications in orthopedics.

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Medical imaging and computer programming advances enable creation of patient-specific 3D anatomical models.
• Three-dimensional (3D) printing, an additive manufacturing technique, is increasingly used in medicine due to its flexibility in creating complex geometries.
• This technology offers significant potential in orthopedic applications, including surgical planning, training, and custom implant fabrication.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide orthopedic surgeons with an updated overview of 3D printing technology for patient-specific applications.
• To outline the workflow from medical image acquisition to 3D printing in orthopedics.
• To review current applications, advantages, limitations, and future directions of 3D printing in orthopedics.

Main Methods:

• Review of medical imaging processing for 3D printing preparation.
• Analysis of current literature on 3D printing applications in patient-specific orthopedic procedures.
• Discussion of the benefits and drawbacks of 3D-printed custom orthopedic implants.

Main Results:

• 3D printing facilitates the creation of anatomical models for surgical planning, education, and training.
• Patient-specific surgical guides and custom implants can be produced with anatomical precision.
• 3D-printed implants may feature scaffold lattices to enhance osteointegration and reduce stiffness.

Conclusions:

• 3D printing holds significant promise for patient-specific orthopedic care, improving surgical outcomes and patient recovery.
• Limitations such as high costs, manufacturing lead times, and lack of intraoperative flexibility require further attention.
• Development of integrated platforms and further clinical efficacy studies are essential for broader adoption.