3D printed drug delivery implants for inner ear therapies

In the UK, greater than 11 million people suffer from hearing loss. With hearing loss affecting a large proportion of the population, the cost of treatment for the healthcare industry is large. Due to the complicated structure of the inner ear, drug delivery can be quite difficult, with ear drops being used as a common method of treatment. A prolonged method of delivery would be more ideal for patient compliance and ease of use. 3D printing (3DP), in particular Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), could be a viable method of fabrication, as it provides the potential to create personalized devices catering to the winding anatomy of the inner ear. Previous studies of implantable devices using FDM have also proved the potential for prolonged drug delivery. In this study, we explore the incorporation of drug into Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) using Hot-Melt Extrusion (HME), followed by 3DP of implants for the ear of varying designs.