Application of 3D printing in orthopaedic surgery. A new affordable horizon for cost-conscious care

Application of three-dimensional (3D) printing facilities in orthopaedic surgery is getting popular in resourceconstrained countries. It is cost- and resource-efficient to assist in planning and increasing orthopaedic procedures efficienc y. Furthermore, it improves educational training and provides cheaper prosthesis and creation of customised implants for special cases. Moreover, 3D models of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data play a helpful rule for a more hands-on approach for the surgeon. Likeevidence-based medicine practice, researchers are exploring new areas of patient-specific instrumentation in the surgical field, searching for favourable and costeffective results. Three-dimensional printing has shown promising results for quick and cost-effective solutions in several fields. Many fields of application are dependent on various uses of 3D printing, but it has yet to be used widely in medicine and orthopaedics. The current literature review was planned to highlight the advantages of using 3D printing, its scope in surgical field with emphasis on orthopaedic surgery, and the limitations of its use in developing countries.