Lakhasly

The advent of three-dimensional (3D) printing has evoked a global industrial revolution, garnering the attention of the public and media in the process.3D printing software can be used to extract digital data from patient images such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging or laser scanning to yield custom-made and personalized constructs for surgical planning and implantation (1).Despite having its roots in the automotive, packaging and architectural domains (1), major developments in 3D printing technology have born witness to an expanded role of printing technologies, spanning into healthcare research and prompting the development of numerous medical devices, models and prosthetics.Furthermore, many procedures, particularly in reconstructive and transplantation surgery remain hindered by the availability of donor tissues and organs, the morbidity associated with tissue harvest and the potential complications related to immunosuppression (2, 3).In particular, the incorporation of a biological component would transform this established technology, with the potential to revolutionize personalized healthcare through the advent of autologous living implants akin to the patient's own tissue.

The advent of three-dimensional (3D) printing has evoked a global industrial revolution, garnering the attention of the public and media in the process. Despite having its roots in the automotive, packaging and architectural domains (1), major developments in 3D printing technology have born witness to an expanded role of printing technologies, spanning into healthcare research and prompting the development of numerous medical devices, models and prosthetics.
Surgery too has witnessed incremental transformations over the past century, with the introduction of microsurgery, transplantation and robotics augmenting the array of treatments available for patients. As the scope and complexity of surgical interventions broadens so too does the need to adequately plan and prepare for surgery. Furthermore, many procedures, particularly in reconstructive and transplantation surgery remain hindered by the availability of donor tissues and organs, the morbidity associated with tissue harvest and the potential complications related to immunosuppression (2, 3). 3D printing software can be used to extract digital data from patient images such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging or laser scanning to yield custom-made and personalized constructs for surgical planning and implantation (1). In particular, the incorporation of a biological component would transform this established technology, with the potential to revolutionize personalized healthcare through the advent of autologous living implants akin to the patient’s own tissue.
3D printing holds incredible potential for the future of surgery, as acknowledged by the Royal College of Surgeons in the Commission on the Future of Surgery (4). The biological applications of 3D printing technology, or “bioprinting,” traverse the disciplines of human biology, materials science and mechanical engineering, and incorporates this into clinical practice to yield novel and personalized surgical options for patients (5, 6). Successful implementation could lead to a paradigm shift in surgical outcomes, with the potential to obviate the need for donor organs for transplantation surgery and offering the restoration of form and function without painful and destructive donor sites (7). Throughout the course of this review article we aim to identify the key roles this technology may play in the future of surgery and explore the pivotal considerations and challenges that remain to be addressed prior to the integration of three-dimensional printing and bioprinting into mainstream surgical practice