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Review
. 2025 Jul 15:12:1560909.
doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1560909. eCollection 2025.

Three-dimensional printing in modern orthopedic trauma surgery: a comprehensive analysis of technical evolution and clinical translation

Ting Long  1 , Linyun Tan  2   3 , Xiaoyan Liu  1
Affiliations
Review

Three-dimensional printing in modern orthopedic trauma surgery: a comprehensive analysis of technical evolution and clinical translation

Ting Long et al. Front Med (Lausanne). .

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a transformative technology in orthopedic trauma surgery, offering unprecedented possibilities for personalized surgical solutions. Despite its increasing adoption, there remains a lack of comprehensive reviews systematically evaluating its technical considerations and evidence-based outcomes across different anatomical regions. Through systematic review of literature from major databases and analysis of clinical evidence, this comprehensive review examines the current state of advanced 3D printing technologies in orthopedic trauma. We analyze four major additive manufacturing methodologies: vat photopolymerization for surgical guides, material extrusion for anatomical models, powder bed fusion for implants, and emerging bioprinting approaches. The integration of these technologies has substantially improved surgical outcomes through three primary approaches: preoperative planning with anatomical modeling, intraoperative guidance using custom surgical guides, and patient-specific implant solutions. Systematic analysis demonstrates significant improvements in surgical precision, operative efficiency, and anatomical restoration across various fracture patterns. While challenges in manufacturing protocols, quality control standards, and regulatory frameworks persist, ongoing innovations in materials science, digital workflow optimization, and clinical validation continue to expand the applications. This review provides a systematic framework integrating technical principles and clinical applications of 3D printing in orthopedic trauma surgery, offering practical guidelines while highlighting future research directions.

Keywords: clinical outcomes; orthopedic trauma; patient-specific implants; surgical planning; three-dimensional printing.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Flowchart illustrating the process of study identification via databases. Initially, 1,247 records were found through database searches, with 45 additional records from other sources. After removing duplicates, 892 records remained. From these, 584 were excluded for reasons such as irrelevance and non-English language. Then, 308 full-text articles were assessed, with 183 excluded due to criteria such as having fewer than five cases and non-clinical outcomes. Finally, 125 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis.
FIGURE 1
PRISMA flow diagram of study selection process.
Technical pipeline of medical 3D printing with four stages: Data Acquisition (medical imaging, 3D scanning), Digital Reconstruction (DICOM to STL conversion, model validation), Additive Manufacturing (laser printing), and Final Implementation (prosthetic and bone models).
FIGURE 2
Workflow of medical 3D printing.
Four illustrations depict major additive manufacturing processes in orthopedic 3D printing. SLA shows curing resin with UV light. FDM illustrates molten thermoplastic extrusion. SLS/DMLS displays laser sintering of metal powder. Bioprinting shows cell clusters formed using bioink from a nozzle.
FIGURE 3
Different types of 3D printing technologies commonly used in orthopedic applications.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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