AccScience Publishing / IJB / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/IJB026200184
Cite this article
1
Download
21
Views
Related Info Links
More by Authors Links
Journal Browser
Volume | Year
Issue
Search
News and Announcements
View All
REVIEW ARTICLE
Early Access

The application of three-dimensional printing technology in breast reconstruction

Xulong Zhu1,2 Kenian Pan3 Bo Tian3 Shuhan Wu1 Jianhui Li1* Jue Wang2*
Show Less
1 Department of Oncology Surgery, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710068, China
2 Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Institute of Health and Rehabilitation Science, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710049, China
3 Graduate School, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi’an, Shaanxi 712000, China
Received: 12 May 2026 | Revised: 24 June 2026 | Accepted: 25 June 2026 | Published online: 26 June 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue 3D Printing in Clinical Application)
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) printing, as an advanced additive manufacturing strategy, exhibits remarkable translational potential in mammary reconstruction. Cumulative evidence confirms that 3D printing enables highly personalized mammary reconstruction, with markedly enhanced surgical precision and accelerated postoperative recovery. In autologous flap transplantation and breast-conserving surgery, this technology optimizes perioperative planning and surgical simulation, thereby improving therapeutic outcomes and lowering complication risks. Moreover, advances in 3D-printable biomaterials, including natural polymers, synthetic polymers, and decellularized adipose tissue matrix (DATM), open novel avenues for breast tissue engineering. Nonetheless, current limitations persist in biomaterial biocompatibility, mechanical matching, and faithful reconstruction of complex anatomical structures. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art progress and clinical applications of 3D printing in mammary reconstruction, highlights its technical merits, translational potential, and existing challenges, and provides a theoretical reference for additive biomanufacturing and tissue engineering strategies in post-oncological breast repair.

Keywords
3D printing
Breast reconstruction
Tissue engineering
Biomaterials
Additive biomanufacturing
Share
Back to top
International Journal of Bioprinting, Electronic ISSN: 2424-8002 Print ISSN: 2424-7723, Published by AccScience Publishing