Global trends in the development of complex, personalized, biomedical, surgical implant devices using 3D printing/additive manufacturing: A review

With the advent and proliferation of commercial 3D printing/additive manufacturing systems for laser and electron beam powder bed fusion fabrication of complex, open-cellular metal and alloy biomedical implant devices over the past decade, custom manufacture of personalized and patient-specific devices has become popularized. In-hospital, point-of-care surgical service centres have been established around the world, which include surgical modelling and planning, and surgical model fabrication, as well as the production of complex, open-cellular, patient-specific implants; especially of Ti-6Al-4 V alloy. The selective production of open-cellular, porous mesh and foam biomedical devices provides for optimal biomechanical compatibility with bone as well as bone cell ingrowth, which assures implant fixation and the reduction of revision surgeries. This review discusses these issues in the context of globalization of custom implant device fabrication.