Scientists have successfully transplanted lab-grown ears onto five children with a serious condition that affects ear development.
The children — who all suffer from microtia, which deforms the ear — now have new ears that were 3D printed using their own body cells.
“Microtia is a congenital external ear malformation that can seriously influence the psychological and physiological well-being of affected children,” explained the study’s lead author Guangdong Zhou.
“The results represent a significant breakthrough in clinical translation of tissue-engineered human ear-shaped cartilage.”
So how does it all work?
Well, first the researchers recruited five children aged between 6 and 10 years old, each of whom suffered from microtia in just one ear.
Then, the scientists took CT scans of each child’s normal ear and then created a 3D-printed replica — but with the dimensions reversed.
This replica was used to create a mold that was covered in tiny holes and made from a biodegradable material.
Scientists then took cartilage cells from each child’s deformed ear and used them to fill in the mold’s holes.
Over the course of 12 weeks, the cells began to grow into the shape of the mold, replacing the bits that had already degraded.
The children then underwent skin graft surgery that saw the lab-grown ears transplanted onto their heads, providing a realistic replica created using their own human cells.
This successful treatment could prove life-changing for other children who suffer from the same condition.
Speaking to New Scientist, Tessa Hadlock, at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, said: “It’s a very exciting approach. They’ve shown that it is possible to get close to restoring the ear structure.”
“Children with the condition often feel self-conscious and are picked on and are unable to wear glasses,” she added.
Microtia is a relatively uncommon condition, appearing in between 0.83 and 17.4 per 10,000 births worldwide. Higher prevalence rates have been found in people with Hispanic or Asian heritage.
The first surgery was performed more than two years ago, while the most recent took place as recently as two months ago.
According to the study, which was published in the EBioMedicine journal, all procedures have proved successful — none of the children’s bodies rejected the material.
Scientists now plan to monitor the children further, writing that the “patients will be followed up intermittently, up to five years.”