Africa pioneers in medicine again – world’s first transplant of middle-ear bones in S. Africa

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South African surgeons have made another surgical history by performing the world’s first transplant of middle-ear bones using 3D printed components.

Professor Mashudu Tshifularo and team at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Tshwane successfully conducted the world’s first ever middle ear transplant on Wednesday, 13 March 2019 .

The surgery, can be performed on everyone including new-borns.

The surgery allowed a 35 year old male recipient, whose middle ear was completely damaged in a car accident, to hear again.

The procedure effectively replaces the hammer, anvil, and stirrup, the ossicles (smallest bones in the body) that make up the middle ear.

3D-printing technology was used to print these bones, and then used in the surgery to reconstruct the ossicles.

The team has received accolades from S. Africa’s president H.E Cyril Ramaphosa and many.

Surgeon Christian Benard from S. Africa pioneered the worlds first successful heart transplant.

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