Recent advances in 3D printing technologies for medical applications

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology, which can create patient-specific anatomical models, implants, prostheses, surgical guides, medication delivery systems, and tissue-engineered constructs, has become an emerging tool in contemporary healthcare. With the potential to enhance surgical planning, procedural accuracy, functional outcomes, and patient-specific rehabilitation, 3D printing enables greater anatomical precision and customized therapeutic strategies by combining advanced imaging, computer-aided design, biomaterials science, and additive manufacturing. This review summarizes the basic principles of 3D printing technology and its wide range of medical applications. The article analyzes various printing methods, including PolyJet, inkjet binder jetting, electron beam melting, extrusion-based printing, and stereolithography, by examining their operating principles, material use, and relevance to medical applications. Furthermore, this review investigates bone tissue engineering through 3D printing, producing bioceramics, biodegradable polymers, and metal-based implants that maintain strength and biocompatibility during manufacturing. The pharmaceutical field has advanced with the advent of 3D-printable tablets, thereby enabling customized dosages and precise drug-release control. The Food and Drug Administration approval of levetiracetam Spritam® has become a landmark achievement in pharmaceutical production. Scientists and researchers developed a drug-delivery system that integrates with tissue-engineered scaffolds to create innovative regenerative medicine therapies for joint and cartilage regeneration research. Although 3D printing is an emerging technology that helps healthcare professionals deliver improved patient care, organizations still need to create material standards, conduct safety assessments, and obtain regulatory approvals, which may cause technical delays.