A perspective on 3D printing in the medical field

The work proposes a perspective on 3D printing in the medical field. The current core applications, which are primarily bioprinting, models in surgery preparation, surgical instruments, prosthetics, drugs, drug delivery systems, streamlined drug development process, and educational medical models, are first reported. The challenges and opportunities of the technology are highlighted, and the present and expected future markets of the technology are considered. The further developments from synergies with artificial intelligence (AI), 4D printing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) is finally examined to provide a comprehensive outlook of where we are, and where we are after, subjected to which constraints.