On Mar. 11, 2021, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it had received compassionate use approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a groundbreaking in-house developed medical device to help improve the quality of life of a Veteran with a rare hearing condition.

The 3D printed stent was inserted in the external ear canal to keep it from collapsing and allow sound to pass through. The device was not surgically implanted and can be easily removed by the patient. This unique hearing aid was designed and created by the integrated 3D printing network team at the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center in Charleston, South Carolina.