Why Consider Microtia Ear Surgery

Microtia Ear Surgery – Perfect Option to Enhance Facial Appearance and Hearing

Microtia ear surgery is a positive solution for a child born with malformed ears and hearing disabilities. It restores a natural facial appearance to the child and improves his/her self esteem. This article examines the reasons why one should consider microtia ear surgery.

Microtia is remediable with proper care and timely surgery. Children can have deformities with single or both ears. Based on its severity, microtia is categorized into:

• Grade I with detectable ear structures and external auditory canal.
• Grade II microtia is a condition in which external ear canal is blocked to cause conductive hearing loss.
• In Grade III microtia, a vestige part of external ear is visible. In most cases, external ear canal and ear drum are absent.
• Grade IV is the most severe condition of microtia with absolutely no external ear (anotia).

Microtia Ear Surgery Advantages

Microtia surgery involves two major stages. During the first stage rib cartilage is taken from the child’s body and shaped to resemble a natural ear. This cartilage is then placed under the skin where the ear should naturally be. The skin will gradually take the shape of the cartilage framework to form a full ear. The next phase of the microtia surgery is four months after the first surgery. By this time the ear would have healed completely and can withstand another surgical intervention. Now the ear is lifted to a more natural position and kept there with the help of grafted skin and a small block of cartilage.

Microtia ear surgery is usually provided when the child reaches the age of six or seven. By this time the child is large enough to allow for enough rib cartilage. Some reasons to consider microtia ear surgery are:

• Microtia ear reconstruction can reshape or reconstruct the external ear contributing to a more natural appearance.
• To correct hearing impairment: microtia surgery can enhance hearing ability. Reconstruction of the external ear canal helps to correct hearing disabilities to a great extent. Sometime implantation of a hearing aid is done to improve functionality of the ear.
• Cosmetic objectives: Unnatural looking ears can have a negative effect on one’s overall appearance. So plastic surgery of the ear can be considered during childhood itself to correct deformities of the ear.

Choose the Right Plastic Surgeon to Minimize Complications

Choose a certified plastic surgeon specialized in complete ear reconstruction surgery to benefit from positive results. Make sure that the surgeon provides treatment from an AAAASF accredited facility regularly offering various plastic surgery procedures with a high success rate. Before the actual procedure, the surgeon will explain to you the benefits of undergoing microtia surgery.