3D-printed hydroxyapatite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering: A systematic review in experimental animal studies

The use of 3D-printed hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds for stimulating bone healing has been increasing over the years. Although all the promising effects of these scaffolds, there are still few studies and limited understanding of their interaction with bone tissue and their effects on the process of fracture healing. In this context, this study aimed to perform a systematic literature review examining the effects of different 3D-printed HA scaffolds in bone healing. The search was made according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) orientations and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) descriptors "3D printing," "bone," "HA," "repair," and "in vivo." Thirty-six articles were retrieved from PubMed and Scopus databases. After eligibility analyses, 20 papers were included (covering the period of 2016 and 2021). Results demonstrated that all the studies included in this review showed positive outcomes, indicating the efficacy of scaffolds treated groups in the in vivo experiments for promoting bone healing in different animal models. In conclusion, 3D-printed HA scaffolds are excellent candidates as bone grafts due to their bioactivity and good bone interaction.