ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Surg.
Sec. Thoracic Surgery
Emerging applications and research trends of 3D printing and bioprinting in thoracic surgery: a bibliometric and visualized analysis
Provisionally accepted
- 1Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, China
- 2West China School of Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Background: Three-dimensional (3D) printing and bioprinting technologies have rapidly evolved into essential tools in thoracic surgery, enabling personalized anatomical modeling, implant fabrication, and tissue engineering. However, the global research landscape and thematic evolution of this field remain incompletely characterized. Methods: A comprehensive bibliometric and visualized analysis was conducted using the Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, and PubMed databases, covering studies published between 2008 and 2024. Data visualization and network analyses were performed using CiteSpace (v6.2.4R) and VOSviewer (v1.6.18) to assess publication trends, author and institutional collaborations, co-citation patterns, and keyword evolution. Results: A total of 740 publications were identified, including 627 original articles and 113 reviews, contributed by 4,077 authors from 1,277 institutions across 71 countries. Annual publications increased steadily, peaking in 2024. China ranked first in publication volume (205 papers, 27.7%), while the United States had the highest citation impact (10,969 citations; 58.66 citations per paper). The most active journals were Journal of Thoracic Disease and Medical Physics. Keyword and co-citation analyses revealed three main research phases: (1) anatomical modeling and surgical simulation (2008–2015); (2) prosthetic design and clinical application (2016–2020); and (3) tissue engineering, radiotherapy guidance, and bioprinting innovations (2021– 2024). Emerging hotspots included electrospinning, volatile organic compound sensing, and tumor-specific implant customization. Conclusion: Global research on 3D printing in thoracic surgery has expanded rapidly, with a clear transition from mechanical reconstruction toward biologically functional and regenerative approaches. The integration of bioprinting with advanced imaging, artificial intelligence, and robotics holds promise for personalized, precision thoracic surgery. Continued interdisciplinary collaboration will be essential to accelerate clinical translation and regulatory approval of biofabricated constructs.
Keywords: 3D printing, Bioprinting, Thoracic Surgery, Tissue Engineering, Regenerative therapy
Received: 25 Sep 2025; Accepted: 04 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Kong, Deng, Mao, Zhao, Ye, Han, Zhou and Yang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Jianfeng Zhou
Lin Yang
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