Successfully reconstruct human ear from cartilage tissue using 3D printer

Born in congenitally in a state where ear formation is incomplete and smaller than usualMicrotiaOften, it often happens that the ear holes are blocked and the hearing is low. However, because treatment requires advanced technology, possibly leading to death, perfect treatment has not been found yet. Meanwhile, Chinese scientists conducted a study to transplant "bio-ears" created using 3D printers to five children aged 6 to 9 who are minor-tiny.

In Vitro Regeneration of Patient-specific Ear-shaped Cartilage and Its First Clinical Application for Auricular Reconstruction - ScienceDirect
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352396418300161

Scientists grow new ears for children with defect - CNN
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/29/health/growing-ears-on-humans-study/index.html

Grown inside 3D-printed molds: new ears for children - The Verge
https://www.theverge.com/2018/1/31/16954712/growing-ear-3-d-printing-regenerative-medicine-microtia

In the method performed by researchers, we first scanned the shapes of the ears of children who are not small-earpieces, and created a 3D model. Then, invert this 3D model in a form that fits the opposite ear, and make a "mold". Next, the tissue of the cartilage is collected from the ear of a small ear disease, and this cell is raised for 3 months with a biodegradable "mold". Then, it is said that a healthy form of ears will be born, including "molds".


Researchers tracked five patients over two and a half years after surgery and confirmed that they could "regenerate" the patient's ears. However, in order to confirm whether or not this technology can be put to practical use, it has been shown that it is necessary to follow up the characteristics of cartilage and clinical results for up to 5 years.

Professor Lawrence Bonassar, who studies biomedical engineering at Cornell University, said, "Forming cartilage to reconstruct the ear of small-ear disease has been the goal of the organizational engineering community for the last 20 years." " It shows that tissue engineering approaches the reconstruction of the ear and that other cartilage tissues will also be on the way to clinic soon, "he says of this research.

Studies of transplanting ears formed from human ear cartilage tissue into mice have already been published as of 1997 and the concept of research itself is not new. However, this is the first time for a study in which five patients were treated and followed for a long period of two and a half years.


On the other hand, in this research, patients are given multiple surgeries and the contents are complicated, so if you do it in real medical care, medical expenses will be expensive. Professor Bonassar said that there are still major challenges to doing such transplant surgery extensively in reality.