Doctors Transplant Ear That Was 3D Printed With Patient's Own Cells

A 3D printed ear made from the patient's own cells has been successfully transplant by a team of scientists.

It appears to be the first of its kind in the field of tissue engineering.

Adam Feinberg, who was not involved in the project, told the New York Times that it was a big deal. This technology is not an "if" but a "when."

A young woman was born with a small ear due to a rare congenital disorder.

In a clinical trial earlier this year, experts 3D printed a new ear and put it on her head.

According to the company, the ear will continue to grow.

The trial could mark the first time a 3D printed implant made of living tissues was successfully transplant onto a human patient.

In order to grow billions of cells, the company used half a gram of cells from the patient. The ear was printed using a special 3D printer.

Daniel Cohen, CEO of 3DBio, told the New York Times that it was a living ear.

The surgeon who performed the procedure was impressed by what he saw.

"As a physician who has treated thousands of children with microtia from across the country and around the world, I am inspired by what this technology may mean for microtia patients and their families," he stated.

Bonilla said that the study would allow them to investigate the safety and aesthetic properties of the procedure.

The company has remained quiet about technical details despite being reviewed by regulators. Results have not been published because the trial is still going on.

The same technique is being applied to other parts of the body.

The challenge of printing complex body parts such as organs is much more difficult than the challenge of printing the ear.

Doctors transplant 3-D printed ear made of human cells.

China says it is 3D printing a 590-foot hydroelectric dam with zero human labor.