title: The Current Role of Three-Dimensional Printing in Plastic Surgery.
abstract: Since the advent of three-dimensional printing in the 1980s, it has become possible to produce physical objects from digital files and create three-dimensional objects by adding one layer at a time following a predetermined pattern. Because of the continued development of inexpensive and easy-to-use three-dimensional printers and bioprinting, this technique has gained more momentum over time, especially in the field of medicine. This article reviews the current and possible future application of three-dimensional printing technology within the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery.
authors.affiliation: Boston, Mass.; and Columbus, Ohio From the Division of Plastic Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School; and the Department of Plastic Surgery, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University.
authors.forename: Parisa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kamali
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Skoracki
authors.forename: Pieter G L
authors.initials: PGL
authors.lastname: Koolen
authors.forename: Marek A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Ahmed M S
authors.initials: AMS
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: Samuel J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D062028:Bioprinting / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000639:trends; D017076:Computer-Aided Design; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D058996:Quality Improvement; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D012380:Role; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends