Three-dimensional bioprinting in drug delivery: a broad-spectrum review

Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has emerged as a transformative technology for drug delivery that offers anatomically customized, spatially controlled, and programmable release systems. These innovations hold significant promise in the fields of anesthesiology and pain medicine, particularly for postoperative pain control, where precise, localized, and sustained analgesic effects are desirable. This review highlights the current applications and future directions of 3D bioprinting for the delivery of local anesthetics, anti-inflammatory agents, and neuromodulators. By incorporating patient-specific designs and spatiotemporal release strategies, 3D-printed drug delivery systems can reduce systemic drug exposure, enhance tissue recovery, and improve analgesic efficacy. Despite these advantages, several challenges remain, including issues related to regulatory classification, manufacturing reproducibility, scalability, and long-term biocompatibility. As research advances and interdisciplinary collaboration improves, 3D bioprinting is poised to become an integral tool for personalized and procedure-specific pain management in the perioperative setting.