Dexamethasone and ciprofloxacin release and bio-efficacy after autoclavation of 3D printed external ear canal implants

Patients with chronic stenosis of their ear canal may benefit from additively manufactured individualized drug containing external ear canal implants (EECI) [1] that keep the ear canal open and support the healing of the affected tissue. To guarantee the safety of the patients, the sterilization of implants is important. Autoclaving is a fast and well-established sterilization method, but the heat of the process may damage any drug contained within the implants. To evaluate the suitability of autoclaving EECIs, we tested samples for bio-efficacy and the released drug amount within 3 days.