Applications of three-dimensional printing technology in the cardiovascular field.

Three-dimensional (3-D) printing technology has rapidly developed in the last few decades. Meanwhile, the application of this technology has reached beyond the engineering field and expanded to almost all disciplines, including medicine. There has been much research on the medical applications of 3-D printing in neurosurgery, orthopedics, maxillofacial surgery, plastic surgery, tissue engineering, as well as other fields. Because of the complexity of the cardiovascular system, the application of this technology is limited and difficult, as compared to other disciplines, and thus there is much room for future development. Many of the difficulties associated with this technology must be overcome. Nonetheless, there is no doubt that 3-D printing technology will benefit patients with cardiovascular diseases in the near future.