Implanting 3D-printed ears made from the patients' own cells

This May 31 (2022) image courtesy of Dr Bonilla shows a before (left) photo of a microtia patient’s ear and a photo 30 days after surgery to reconstruct her ear lobe with the 3D bioimplant. — AFP/Congenital Ear Institute

An American medical team has reconstructed a human ear using the patient’s own tissue to create a 3D bioimplant.

It is a pioneering procedure they hope can be used to treat people with a rare birth defect.