Tshifularo is the first to transplant the ossicles: the hammer (malleus), anvil (incus) and stirrup (stapes) that make up the middle ear, using 3D-print technology.
Tshifularo is the head of the Department of Ear, Nose, and Throat and Head and Neck Surgery at the Otorhinolaryngology Department of the University of Pretoria, and started developing this technology during his PhD studies. He and his team at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Pretoria performed the first transplant on 13 March 2019. The endoscopic procedures lasted approximately 2 hours. The first patient was a 40 year old with accidental trauma damage and the other was a 62 year old born with a middle ear issue and a history of failed interventions.
Source: Wikipedia – Mashudu Tshifularo
Dr. Mashudu Tshifularo
