Three-dimensional printing in orthopaedic surgery: a scoping review

Three-dimensional printing (3DP) has become more frequently used in surgical specialties in recent years. These uses include pre-operative planning, patient-specific instrumentation (PSI), and patient-specific implant production.The purpose of this review was to understand the current uses of 3DP in orthopaedic surgery, the geographical and temporal trends of its use, and its impact on peri-operative outcomesOne-hundred and eight studies (N= 2328) were included, published between 2012 and 2018, with over half based in China.The most commonly used material was titanium.Three-dimensional printing was most commonly reported in trauma (N= 41) and oncology (N= 22). Pre-operative planning was the most common use of 3DP (N= 63), followed by final implants (N= 32) and PSI (N= 22).Take-home message: Overall, 3DP is becoming more common in orthopaedic surgery, with wide range of uses, particularly in complex cases. 3DP may also confer some important peri-operative benefits.Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev2020;5:430-441. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.5.190024