Solider gets new ear after doctors grow one on her own arm

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When Shamika Burrage survived a devastating car crash two years ago, she didn’t come out entirely unscathed. The 21-year-old, who is a private in the US Army, lost her left ear in the accident, but thanks to some innovative work by Army plastic surgeons she’s getting it back. It’s a first for Army doctors and a remarkable outcome for the young soldier.

The incredible thing about all of this is that the ear isn’t a prosthetic. It’s made of living tissue and was grown on Burrage’s own body. Surgeons used cartilage from one of Burrage’s own ribs to create the ear’s shape and then implanted it underneath the skin of her forearm. The skin was allowed to grow around the ear for several months, forming new blood vessels and allowing for feeling in the ear after it had been transplanted to her head.

The reconstruction takes several surgeries to complete, but once the ordeal is over and the new ear has a chance to heal in place, it will look and feel just like the real deal. The skin will have sensation thanks to fresh nerves, and blood will circulate through it just like the original organ. – READ MORE

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