A Chinese man who lost his right ear in a car accident last year will soon have a brand new one attached thanks to a miracle of modern medicine.
Advancements in reconstructive surgery have enabled the patient’s doctors to help him grow a new ear－right on his forearm, NetEase reported (via Shanghaiist).
The patient, identified by his last name Ji, is currently being treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, under the care of Dr. Guo Shuzhong and his colleague, Shu Maoguo.
Guo, who has 33 years of experience in the field of reconstructive surgery, is implementing a three-step reconstruction procedure that used a part of the patient’s rib cartilage to help grow a new ear.
For the first step, the doctors planted a skin “expander” in the patient’s right arm and injected water regularly to the area to make it expand and fit for the procedure, according to China Daily. The second step was done on Tuesday, when they took a part of the patient’s rib cartilage and implanted it under the expanded skin.
“The third phase of the operation, to transplant the new ear onto Ji’s head, will be carried out in three or four months,” Shu said.
The doctor explained that they have to wait for the new organ to fully grow to make it perfect for the transplant procedure.
“It looks exactly the same as my old ear,” Ji said, as he looked admiringly at the “eary” appendage growing on his arm.
