The Role of 3D Printing in Surgery

3D printing is a relatively new technology but has already proven to be incredibly useful when it comes to surgery. 3D printing is the process of making a physical object by adding materials layer by layer. It was first used in the medical field in 1999 to create anatomical models for doctors and surgeons to better understand the case they were dealing with and continues to have this use and more today.

The origin of this printing technology came from Charles W. Hull in 1984 who built the first machine that consisted of a UV laser to engrave layers into shapes and then stacking the layers to build objects. This method is called stereolithography. 3D printing is now a lot more accessible with some people having a printer in their own homes. It has expanded through multiple different fields and has taken on a large role in the health field. For example in dentistry, this technology was used to make dental implants for patients as well as clear aligners to straighten teeth.

Now, one common usage is the creation of training models. This makes professionals an exact copy of the organ they will be working on and allows them to go into surgery more prepared. It minimizes the time patients will be in surgery making the operation much more efficient. Prosthetics can also be improved using 3D printing, specifically bionic prosthetics. These are prosthetics capable of robotic movements that are triggered by muscle contractions. These must be extremely specific to the patient in order for them to work and 3D printing has allowed them to create these in much more complex designs while still being as comfortable as possible. Let’s say a patient had a tumor on their kidney. A 3D printed model helps the surgeon get a better understanding of the unique kidney they will be performing on as well as the location of the tumor.

It’s not just doctors and surgeons who benefit from seeing 3D models. Patients also find this to be extremely helpful in understanding the procedure they are about to go through. Being able to hold an exact copy of their organ can teach them the process the surgeons will be going through while being in surgery. They learn important information on their situation including what is wrong and how it's going to be fixed in a physical way. Understanding their health can also help them make important medical decisions. 

The next step into the future is printed biomaterials like organs to be transplanted through surgery. This has been tried before from a team at Boston Children’s hospital who successfully created replacement bladders of collagen and synthetic polymer. They used a method called scaffolding where scaffolds (a structure that guides the growth of a new organ) were layered with cells from the patients and would eventually grow into working organs. There are some problems with this technique though, it is very expensive and also takes a lot of time that not all patients have. The idea of directly printing organs is currently being studied and tested, but they are not yet ready for use. 

Ultimately, the current field of medicine would not be the same without 3D printing. This advancement makes surgery more efficient and allows for patients and surgeons alike to have a better understanding of the operation. In the future, 3D printing will expand to not just artificial models but also working organs and will revolutionize modern surgery.

Written by Jada Gadoros at Incisionary

References:

Pugliese, L., Marconi, S., Negrello, E., Mauri, V., Peri, A., Gallo, V., Auricchio, F., & Pietrabissa, A. (2018). The clinical use of 3D printing in surgery. Updates in Surgery, 70(3), 381–388. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13304-018-0586-5

‌3D printing elevates surgery at UCLA Health. (2025, June 17). Uclahealth.org; UCLA Health. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/3d-printing-orthopedic-surgery

‌Greenwood, M. (2024, January 5). 3D Printing in Healthcare: From Surgical Tools to Organ Transplant Breakthroughs. News-Medical.net. https://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/3D-Printing-in-Healthcare-From-Surgical-Tools-to-Organ-Transplant-Breakthroughs.aspx

‌(2025). Youtube. https://youtu.be/p0g6QcuYxh8?si=MqOu2qoV2Hpz-tEV

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