The application of Three-dimensional printing on foot fractures and deformities: A mini-review

Foot fractures have always been a great concern due to their complex anatomical structure. Medical practitioners face difficulties while operating complex anatomical structures through conventional treatment, and revision surgeries may occur in multi-fractured complex cases. The surgeon requires understanding the complex geometry of the foot. The Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology is rapidly used in the biomedical domain due to its advantages like freedom to design, complex structure fabrication, cost-effectiveness and ease of use. 3D printing is used in the biomedical field for various applications like the fabrication of hydrogels, scaffolds, vascularized soft tissues and bone implants. The role of 3D printing in biomedical is becoming vital in drug formulation, surgical planning, implants prostheses-orthoses, tissue engineering, anatomical model and organ printing. Therefore, this mini-review presents the recent advancement in 3D printing technology for foot and ankle fractures with their advantages like surgical planning, intraoperative directions, customized prostheses and orthoses. This mini-review paper is helpful for medical surgeons, researchers, and design engineers to understand the potential of 3D printing technology and its usage in the biomedical domain.