Application of 3D-Bioprinting in Treatment of Chronic Wounds: A Review

Chronic wounds represent a significant global healthcare challenge, affecting millions of patients and imposing substantial economic burdens on healthcare systems. Traditional wound management approaches often fail to address the complex pathophysiology underlying chronic wounds, including persistent inflammation, impaired angiogenesis, and disrupted extracellular matrix remodeling. Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has emerged as a transformative technology that enables the fabrication of patient-specific, biomimetic tissue constructs capable of addressing these intricate challenges. This comprehensive review synthesizes recent advances in 3D bioprinting for chronic wound treatment, examining bioprinting technologies, biomaterial innovations, mechanisms of wound healing, and clinical applications. Recent studies demonstrate that bioprinted constructs incorporating living cells, growth factors, and bioactive molecules can significantly accelerate wound closure, enhance vascularization, and restore functional skin architecture. Notable innovations include in situ bioprinting systems, photosynthetic scaffolds for oxygen delivery, and immunomodulatory bioinks. While significant technical challenges remain-including vascularization, scalability, and regulatory approval-the integration of advanced bioprinting techniques with regenerative medicine principles offers unprecedented opportunities for personalized chronic wound care and improved patient outcomes.