“…1,2 Current clinical practice utilizes autologous costal cartilage to fabricate auricular facsimiles with longterm stability 3,4 ; however, this method is limited by donor-site morbidity, [3][4][5][6] a complex surgical sculpting process, [3][4][5]7 and differing mechanical properties compared to elastic auricular cartilage. 4,5 Alternatively, alloplastic implants produce predictable shapes and eliminate donor-site surgery, 3,8 but suffer from poor biocompatibility and high rates of infection and extrusion. 3,6 A tissue engineering approach to auricular reconstructions would overcome the limitations of both autologous and alloplastic contemporary treatments.…”