Three-dimensional and four-dimensional printing in otolaryngology

Area of Science:

• Regenerative Medicine
• Biotechnology
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Thousands of patients annually suffer from life-threatening or psychosocially impacting ear, nose, and throat (ENT) disorders.
• Current treatments often rely on grafts, necessitating surgical intervention.
• Tissue engineering presents an alternative by creating bioartificial constructs using cells and scaffolds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of bioprinting technologies in otolaryngology.
• To highlight how bioprinting addresses specific challenges in treating ENT disorders.
• To showcase recent literature examples of bioprinting applications in this field.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on bioprinting techniques for ENT applications.
• Discussion of additive manufacturing principles in scaffold fabrication.
• Analysis of patient-specific scaffold design and repeatability.

Main Results:

• Bioprinting offers high design freedom and repeatability for fabricating complex, patient-specific scaffolds.
• This technology enables the creation of living bioartificial constructs for tissue regeneration.
• Successful applications in addressing challenges within otolaryngology are emerging.

Conclusions:

• Bioprinting is a key enabling technology for advanced tissue engineering in otolaryngology.
• It holds significant potential for developing novel treatments for complex ENT conditions.
• Further research and clinical translation are expected to expand its impact.