Doctors of Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Centre have reconstructed a 16-year-old boy’s ear using rib cartilage in single-stage surgery.At the press meet held on Thursday, the doctors said they successfully reconstructed the ear of the 16-year-old boy born with microtia, a congenital condition characterised by an underdeveloped external ear, using cartilage harvested from his own ribs.The team completed the complex 3D ear reconstruction, which is traditionally performed in multiple stages, in a single surgery, minimising pain and enabling faster recovery. The boy, born of a consanguineous marriage, had no hearing in his left ear since birth and relied entirely on his right ear for hearing.The 3D ear reconstruction, performed primarily for cosmetic rehabilitation, has now gifted him a natural-looking ear that closely resembles his right ear. Crafted using cartilage harvested from his own ribs and positioned precisely to mirror the opposite ear, the reconstructed ear blends seamlessly with the existing anatomy.As the surgeons utilised the patient’s own skin, there was no noticeable difference in colour or texture. The use of rib cartilage, known for its flexibility and durability, enables the reconstructed ear to bend like a normal ear and because the reconstruction utilised the patient’s own tissues while preserving the underlying blood supply and nerve connections, the reconstructed ear has normal sensation, closely resembling a natural ear, they said.The surgery was led by Senior Consultant and HOD, Department of ENT, D.R. Nageswaran. Medical Administrator B. Kannan, Associate Consultant Rakesh. R. Bright and Consultant Hariharan were present. Published - July 02, 2026 10:44 pm IST