Researchers at Technion - Israel Insitute of Science announced on Thursday that they had developed a man-made ear implant that functions just the same as a normal ear.
The team, led by Professor Shulamit Levenberg and working alongside Sheba Medical Center, combined organ printing, tissue engineering, and extraction of human cells to generate a custom ear, with the goal of being able to replace ears that don't develop properly in the womb.
Treatment of microtia
This new creation will hopefully prove useful for children born with microtia, a condition that results in underdeveloped, small or malformed ears at birth. These children are sometimes unable to hear at all. Microtia affects 0.1-0.3% of births.
Until now, microtia was treated by transplanting cartilage from the ribs, which is painful and risky. Furthermore, the operation on the ribs can only be performed after the age of 10. The new procedure can be performed as early as age 6.
Future implications of new medical tech
Professor Levenberg hopes the new procedure could also be tailored to “other applications, such as nasal reconstruction and fabrication of various orthopedic implants."