ArticleAcademic radiology2020
Medical 3D Printing Cost-Savings in Orthopedic and Maxillofacial Surgery: Cost Analysis of Operating Room Time Saved with 3D Printed Anatomic Models and Surgical Guides.
Article in Academic radiology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 124 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
The Effect of 3D Modeling on Family Quality of Life, Surgical Success and Patient Outcomes in Congenital Heart Diseases: A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol
Randomized, Prospective and Multicenter Clinical Study for the Clinical Evaluation and Cost-effectiveness Analysis of 3D Digital Surgery in Traumatology and Orthopedic Surgery
Who cites it
124 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- How is 3D modeling in metabolic surgery utilized and what is its clinical benefit: a systematic review and meta-analysis.International journal of surgery (London, England) · 2025Pooled it
- Optimizing Surgical Performance Using Preoperative Virtual Reality Planning: A Systematic Review.World journal of surgery · 2023Pooled it
- 3D printed patient-specific prostate cancer models to guide nerve-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: a systematic review.Journal of robotic surgery · 2023Pooled it
- 3D printing in fracture treatment : Current practice and best practice consensus.Unfallchirurgie (Heidelberg, Germany) · 2022Guideline
- Pooled it
- Clinical and radiological outcomes in three-dimensional printing assisted revision total hip and knee arthroplasty: a systematic review.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2021Pooled it
- Treatment of excessive gingival display using conventional esthetic crown lengthening versus computer guided esthetic crown lengthening: (a randomized clinical trial).BMC oral health · 2024Trial
- 3D-Printed Poly(Lactic-co-Glycolic Acid) Binder-Based Self-Hardening Calcium Phosphate Bone Scaffolds.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Three-Dimensional Printing in Pediatric Orthopaedics: Cost Analysis and Emerging Applications.Journal of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America · 2026Review
- Three-Dimensional Soft Tissue Reconstructive Planning in Orthoplastic Oncology: A Systematic Review.Cureus · 2026Review
- Load-To-Failure of Cantilevered Provisional Implant-Supported Prostheses: Conventional Versus 3D-Printed Resins.Journal of esthetic and restorative dentistry : official publication of the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry ... [et al.] · 2026Article
- Accuracy of Patient-Specific Instruments for Supramalleolar Osteotomies.Foot & ankle international · 2026Article
- Mixed reality improves agreement on surgical approach selection and patient positioning in tibial plateau fracture planning compared to CT, 3DCT and 3D printing.European journal of trauma and emergency surgery : official publication of the European Trauma Society · 2026Article
- Review
- Exploring the cost-effectiveness of 3-D-guided versus traditional 2-D corrective osteotomy in patients with a distal radius malunion.Cost effectiveness and resource allocation : C/E · 2026Article
- Development and preliminary validation of a multidisciplinary 3D‑printed skull base model for endoscopic endonasal surgical training.3D printing in medicine · 2026Article
- A step-by-step guide for implementation of virtual surgical applications and patient data centralization: practical experience and lessons learned.3D printing in medicine · 2026Review
- The Application Value of Personalized 3D Printed Navigation Molds in Neurosurgery.Journal of neurological surgery. Part A, Central European neurosurgery · 2026Article
- Applications of 3D Printing and Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Management: A Narrative Review.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Functional personalization in digital manufacturing: a translational framework for patient-specific implants, arthroscopic locators, and therapeutic constructs.Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology · 2026Article
64 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
RATIONALE AND
objectiveThree-dimensional (3D) printed anatomic models and surgical guides have been shown to reduce operative time. The purpose of this study was to generate an economic analysis of the cost-saving potential of 3D printed anatomic models and surgical guides in orthopedic and maxillofacial surgical applications. MATERIALS AND
methodsA targeted literature search identified operating room cost-per-minute and studies that quantified time saved using 3D printed constructs. Studies that reported operative time differences due to 3D printed anatomic models or surgical guides were reviewed and cataloged. A mean of $62 per operating room minute (range of $22-$133 per minute) was used as the reference standard for operating room time cost. Different financial scenarios were modeled with the provided cost-per-minute of operating room time (using high, mean, and low values) and mean time saved using 3D printed constructs.
resultsSeven studies using 3D printed anatomic models in surgical care demonstrated a mean 62 minutes ($3720/case saved from reduced time) of time saved, and 25 studies of 3D printed surgical guides demonstrated a mean 23 minutes time saved ($1488/case saved from reduced time). An estimated 63 models or guides per year (or 1.2/week) were predicted to be the minimum number to breakeven and account for annual fixed costs.
conclusionBased on the literature-based financial analyses, medical 3D printing appears to reduce operating room costs secondary to shortening procedure times. While resource-intensive, 3D printed constructs used in patients' operative care provides considerable downstream value to health systems.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.