South African Surgeon Made History With 3D-Printed Ear Bones That Restored Hearing
Professor Mashudu Tshifularo led the world’s first reported middle-ear transplant using 3D-printed titanium bones in Pretoria, South Africa, in 2019. The procedure replaced damaged ossicles, the tiny bones that carry sound vibrations through the middle ear. The first patient, whose ear was injured in a car accident, reportedly regained about 75% of his hearing. The innovation is aimed at conductive hearing loss caused by middle-ear damage. It does not treat every form of deafness, especially hearing loss linked to the inner ear or auditory nerve. The breakthrough demonstrated how 3D printing can be used to create personalised implants for reconstructive surgery.
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