Meet Doctor Mashudu Tshifularo: The First Surgeon to Cure Deafness

South African doctor Mashudu Tshifularo is a pioneering surgeon who achieved a groundbreaking medical milestone. In 2019, he became the first surgeon on Earth to successfully perform surgery to cure deafness using 3D-printed bones for reconstructive middle ear implants. This revolutionary procedure was conducted at the University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital.

Born in 1964 in the rural village of Mbahela, Venda, South Africa, Tshifularo grew up as a herdsman. From the age of 13, he aspired to become a medical doctor. He attended Mbilwi Secondary School and trained at the University of Natal. Tshifularo began practicing medicine in 1990 and became a professor in 1995, eventually heading the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the University of Pretoria. In 2000, he was appointed the youngest and only black professor of ENT in South Africa.

In a landmark surgery on March 13, 2019, Tshifularo and his team performed the world’s first successful middle ear transplant using 3D technology. The patient, a 35-year-old man, had suffered hearing loss due to a car accident. Tshifularo recreated the bones of the inner ear—the hammer, anvil, stirrup, and ossicles—using 3D printing, replacing the damaged ones. The surgery, completed in just one and a half hours through endoscopy, restored the patient’s hearing.

Tshifularo’s innovative approach stemmed from his Ph.D. research on conductive hearing loss, where he developed the idea of using 3D technology to recreate damaged inner ear bones. His second Ph.D. at the University of Pretoria further explored the use of 3D printing in medicine, demonstrating its significant potential in the industry.

In addition to his medical achievements, Tshifularo is a senior pastor and founder of the Christ Revealed Fellowship Church near Pretoria, and an author of several books. He continues to serve as an otorhinolaryngologist at Mediclinic in Pretoria.

Prof. Mashudu Tshifularo’s story epitomizes black excellence, inspiring many to believe that with determination and the right mindset, anything is possible. His accomplishments have been celebrated widely, including on social media, where users have praised his contributions to medical science and his role as a trailblazer.