3D Printing in Bone Surgery

In the last decades, there has been an important increase in the global survival of patients affected by musculoskeletal tumors. This improvement has given way to the research of new reconstructive techniques to assure better function and higher quality of life for the patient. The idea to produce “spare parts” specifically for the patient originates with surgery; actually, the first prostheses, although rudimentary, were produced based on the patient’s specific anatomic characteristics. Later, the development of modular prostheses made the first custom-made prostheses obsolete, also because they were characterized by high costs and a long production time. The development of additive manufacturing and its application to medicine, specifically to bone reconstruction, has made custom-made prosthesis affordable for everyone. We are currently witnessing a fundamental change also in materials: the present is titanium, the immediate future is composite materials whereas the future is biological materials and the production of “original spare parts.” Research goes on, society evolves, and one who hesitates is lost. This book aims at taking stock of the situation regarding additive manufacturing applied to bone reconstruction in the different segments and at giving new inspiration for the future. The authors evaluated the application of custom-made reconstruction, proposed their experience, and underlined related problems and possible solutions for all segments.