Doctors Successfully Transplant 3D Printed Ear Made Of Human Cells

Doctors have created a 3D printed ear transplant made from human cells.

The ear was engineered to emulate the woman’s other ear and will continue to regenerate cartilage, making it look and feel similar to a natural ear.

The woman, reportedly from Mexico, was born with microtia, a rare congenital disorder, which led to a small and misshapen ear.

The procedure was led by an ear reconstructive surgeon and the founder of the Microtia-Congenital Ear Deformity Institute in San Antonio, Texas Dr Arturo Bonilla.

Following the successful transplant, Dr Bonilla said he is excited for what the future holds for patients diagnosed with a congenital deformities.

He said: “As a physician who has treated thousands of children with microtia from across the country and around the world, I am inspired by what this technology may mean for microtia patients and their families.”

Dr Bonilla added: “This study will allow us to investigate the safety and aesthetic properties of this new procedure for ear reconstruction using the patient’s own cartilage cells. 

“My hope is that AuriNovo™ will one day become the standard of care replacing the current surgical methods for ear reconstruction requiring the harvesting of rib cartilage or the use of porous polyethylene (PPE) implants.”

He also said she hopes that a procedure like this will help the growth of ‘confidence’ and ‘self-esteem’ of microtia patients.

“Our initial indications focus on cartilage in the reconstructive and orthopedic fields including treating complex nasal defects and spinal degeneration,” he said. 

“We look forward to leveraging our platform to solve other high-impact, unmet medical needs like lumpectomy reconstruction and eventually expand to organs.”