Application of 3D printing in the treatment of appendicular skeleton fractures: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

The objective of this study is to evaluate, through a systematic review of the scientific literature and meta-analysis, the applications of three-dimensional (3D) printing in the surgical treatment of complex fractures of the appendicular skeleton, mainly in terms of effectiveness and safety. A systematic review of the scientific literature was conducted in MEDLINE (PubMed) and the Cochrane Library combining different keywords. A specific methodological assessment scale was developed and applied to included papers. Ten studies were included; all of them were controlled trials, except for one retrospective observational cohort study. We observed statistically significant differences between the group that used 3D printing and the control group in terms of reduction in surgical time, reduction in the volume of blood lost during surgery and reduction in the number of intraoperative fluoroscopies, in favor of the 3D printing group. No statistically significant differences were observed in terms of fracture healing time, postoperative joint function, or postoperative complications. Meta-analysis revealed more favorable results for 3D-printing compared with conventional surgery, with the greatest difference observed for the number of intraoperative fluoroscopies. 3D printing might be considered effective and safe in the surgical treatment of anatomically complex appendicular skeleton fractures, in terms of reducing surgical time, lost blood volume, and radiation exposure of surgeons and patients.