A South African ENT specialist from Venda in Limpopo, Prof Mashudu Tshifularoand his team have successfully performed the world’s first middle ear surgery using 3D Printing technology.
The surgery has been performed on two willing patients successfully according to the professor who explained the procedure. According to research, by age 40 and beyond, humans lose significant hearing capability.
“By replacing only the ossicles that aren’t functioning properly, the procedure carries significantly less risk than known prostheses and their associated surgical procedures. We will use titanium for this procedure, which is biocompatible. We use an endoscope to do the replacement, so the transplant is expected to be quick, with minimal scarring,” explains Prof Mashudu Tshifularo.
Prof Mashudu Tshifularo has been recognised as one of the best ENT specialists in all of South Africa and lives by a very unique mantra – innovate or perish.