3D-printed surgical guides

Conventional bone replacement surgeries have always been associated with different critical drawbacks. Deviation of the implant from its original position is one of the most important problems associated with surgery. The emergence of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing technology opened a new opportunity for the solution of this problem by the use of patient-specific surgical guides. These 3D-printed surgical guides provide a specific cut and therefore reduces the drawbacks associated with surgical techniques including the fixation difficulties. In this review, 3D-printed guides for knee arthroplasty, pedicle screw placement and mandibular reconstruction will be discussed covering both the progress and the drawbacks.