6-Year-Old Girl Gets 3D-Printed Ear and Hearing Aid
Mattie Cliburn underwent surgery to receive a 3D-printed ear that was made using scanning technology.
A California 6-year-old born with an ear that never developed has received a 3D-printed ear and hearing aid implant. Mattie Cliburn was teased by other children about her ear, and her hearing was muffled.
First, Los Angeles plastic surgeon Dr. Sheryl Lewin scanned a 3D model of a mirror image of Mattie's other ear.
“I ended up coming up with a process to develop a very symmetric implant using 3D scanning technology, and then combining that with a wonderful company Poriferous that makes these 3D implants so they look extremely realistic, just a mirror image,” Lewin said.
The doctor explained how a surgical skin graft will make her ear look. Mattie also received a hearing aid implant. On the day of surgery, Mattie was overjoyed. The whole procedure took nine hours and was a success.
Inside Edition was there when Mattie’s new ear was revealed for the first time.
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