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Abstract: Medical 3D printing is rapidly transforming healthcare by enabling personalized, patient-specific solutions that enhance clinical outcomes and streamline surgical procedures. Its applications span from anatomical models for pre-operative planning to custom surgical tools, advanced medical devices, and implants tailored to individual anatomy. These innovations not only improve surgical precision and reduce operative times but also contribute to more efficient resource utilization. Over recent years, academic hospitals have increasingly transitioned from research to clinical implementation, underscoring the technology's real-world viability. Despite this progress, challenges such as limited reimbursement frameworks, regulatory uncertainties, the need for advanced imaging and software tools, and clinical training requirements continue to hinder widespread adoption. Looking ahead, the vision of decentralized, on-site manufacturing-where hospitals produce patient-specific devices and even bioprinted organs-is increasingly within reach. Realizing this potential will require coordinated efforts across research, industry, and healthcare systems to ensure safety, efficacy, and accessibility in routine clinical practice.

Keywords: additive manufacturing; 3D printing techniques; rapid prototyping, patient-specific medical devices, XR and 3D printing, Bioprinting

1 Introduction

There is a growing demand in the healthcare system for customized, biocompatible, and sterilizable components, as the personalization of care becomes increasingly essential for delivering optimal outcomes. In this context, 3D printing is proving to be a gamechanger, unlocking a wide range of opportunities for research and development. Medical device manufacturers can accelerate innovations, surgeons benefit from more efficient workflows using custom tools, anatomical models and implants, and finally patient receiving the best possible care. There is a growing body of research supporting the use of 3D printed anatomical models in medical training and education. One major advantage of 3D printing over traditional anatomical models is the ability to replicate specific medical conditions for hands-on. The potential of 3D printing for creating patient-specific implants is also particularly compelling. Complex geometries-whether in metal or plastic-can now be precisely and efficiently produced. This leads to better prototypes, lower costs, and faster turnaround times for components. What was once impossible with older production technologies can now be physically realized using a broad range of materials including even materials of biological origin (Javaid et al., 2022).

1.1 Development stages of 3D Printing

The 1980s saw the emergence of additive manufacturing, a new method of industrial production that began to complement and...

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