There’s still a lot of excitement around the world over the groundbreaking surgery that was performed at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital in Tshwane a month ago.

The pioneering surgery restored the hearing of a 35-year-old man, whose middle-ear was completely damaged in a car accident.

Professor Mashudu Tshifularo – who is part of Pretoria University’s Faculty of Health – is the man who perfected the procedure.

They used 3D printing to construct the bones that make up the middle ear.

These ossicles – known as the hammer, anvil and stirrup are the smallest bones in the body and had to be made out of bio-compatible titanium.

Tshifularo and his team used an endoscope to position the bones, making the procedure quick and with minimal scarring.

And he says the procedure has far-reaching effects…

Both the prof and the Department of Health have asked that banks and other investors consider funding his work, so he can make an even greater impact.

He believes it could be an answer to conductive hearing loss, a middle ear problem caused by congenital birth defects, infection, trauma or metabolic diseases