3D PRINTING IN PERSONALIZED MEDICINE FOR MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS: CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES, CLINICAL APPLICATION AND LIMITATIONS – A REVIEW
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.3(51).2026.6489Keywords:
3D Printing, Personalized Medicine, Orthopedics, Bone Tissue Engineering, BioprintingAbstract
3D printing technologies are playing an increasingly important role in the development of personalized medicine, particularly in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. Their application enables the fabrication of structures tailored to the individual anatomical conditions of patients, which may contribute to improved clinical outcomes and therapeutic effectiveness. The aim of this review article is to present the current state of knowledge regarding the application of 3D printing technologies in orthopedics and reconstructive surgery, with particular emphasis on additive manufacturing techniques, biomaterials, and their clinical applications.
A literature review was conducted using the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, including publications from 2018 to 2025 related to additive manufacturing, orthopedics, tissue engineering, and bioprinting. The review discusses the main additive manufacturing techniques, including fused deposition modelling (FDM), stereolithography (SLA), selective laser sintering (SLS), and metal-based technologies such as selective laser melting (SLM) and direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), analysing their properties, advantages, and limitations. Particular attention is given to clinical applications, including anatomical models for preoperative planning, patient-specific implants and prostheses, as well as the use of 3D printing in tissue engineering and bioprinting.
Available evidence suggests that 3D printing technologies may improve surgical precision, reduce operative time, and support bone tissue regeneration through the fabrication of structures with controlled porosity and optimized mechanical properties. At the same time, important limitations remain, including high implementation costs, lack of process standardization, regulatory challenges, and the limited number of long-term clinical studies.
In conclusion, 3D printing technologies represent a promising tool in the advancement of personalized medicine and modern orthopedic treatment. However, their broader implementation in clinical practice requires further high-quality clinical research, development of standardized manufacturing protocols, and continued progress in biomaterials and regenerative medicine, patient-specific implants.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Kamila Kasprzycka, Martyna Musiał, Anna Matusik, Monika Spaczyńska-Kwiatkowska, Katarzyna Słowik, Wiktoria Niedziela, Zuzanna Mielniczek, Anna Szwed, Gabriela Matoga, Karolina Kulińska
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