3D printing plays ever increasing role in healthcare. It allows doctors to personalize patients treatment at lower cost. Due to this outstanding feature, 3D printing is revolutionizing healthcare, in particular surgery, manufacturing implants and prostheses, modelling of diseases, especially cancer, etc. In some areas, like Virtual Surgery Planning and manufacturing of implants and prostheses, 3D printing has reached massive applications. Examples are: overtaking in 98% 3D printed hearing aids and hip prostheses, 100 000 of which were implanted until 2018. In other domains, like drug delivery methods on the basis of 3D printing and human organ 3D printing, considerable efforts are indispensable. In addition, higher precision of 3D printers, development of novel materials, and legal regulations are a must. Together with robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality 3D printing is going to transform healthcare.
Helena Dodziuk (Wed,) studied this question.