Hope Versus Hype: What Can Additive Manufacturing Realistically Offer Trauma and Orthopedic Surgery?

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a broad term encompassing 3D printing and several other varieties of material processing, which involve computer-directed layer-by-layer synthesis of materials. As the popularity of AM increases, so to do expectations of the medical therapies this process may offer. Clinical requirements and limitations of current treatment strategies in bone grafting, spinal arthrodesis, osteochondral injury and treatment of periprosthetic joint infection are discussed. The various approaches to AM are described, and the current state of clinical translation of AM across these orthopedic clinical scenarios is assessed. Finally, we attempt to distinguish between what AM may offer orthopedic surgery from the hype of what has been promised by AM.

Keywords::

• additive manufacturing
• bone graft
• orthopedic surgery
• 3D printing

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The work of the authors is supported by a strategic longer and larger grant (sLOLA) from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, UK (BB/G010579/1) to R Oreffo, as well as partial funding from EU Biodesign (EU FP7) and Rosetrees Trust. M Vaezi has received funding from the Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, and Invibio, UK. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

The work of the authors is supported by a strategic longer and larger grant (sLOLA) from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, UK (BB/G010579/1) to R Oreffo, as well as partial funding from EU Biodesign (EU FP7) and Rosetrees Trust. M Vaezi has received funding from the Institute for Life Sciences, University of Southampton, and Invibio, UK. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.