South African doctors successfully carry out first ever middle-ear transplant

According to a press release put out by the South African Government (via Disclose.TV), the operation was carried out with the use of 3D printed middle ear bones developed by Professor Mashudu Tshifularo and his team at the University of Pretoria (UP) Faculty of Health.

According to the press release; “it seems that they have successfully cured the deafness of the patient involved, allowing him to hear again after his middle ear was damaged in a car accident.”

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According to Tshifularo, “By replacing only the ossicles that aren’t functioning properly, the procedure carries significantly less risk than known prostheses and their associated surgical procedures. We will use titanium for this procedure, which is biocompatible. We use an endoscope to do the replacement, so the transplant is expected to be quick, with minimal scarring.”

The best part about this surgery is that it can be performed on anyone and everyone, including new-borns who might be born deaf.

It also reduces the chance of facial nerve paralysis which can occur if the facial nerve that passes through the middle ear space is damaged during traditional surgery.

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