Microtia Surgery Types

Microtia, a condition wherein a child is born with an ear that is not fully formed, can be treated through cosmetic surgery. This not only improves the child’s appearance, but under the right surgeon’s hands, can improve hearing in children who lacked full use of the little ear. There are several types of surgery for this condition, so parents must decide which they feel is best for their children.

The standard rib cartilage method uses the child’s own rib cartilage to reconstruct the ear. It takes four different procedures, each spaced two to three months apart. It does not cause much discomfort and is best performed when the child is between the age of five and six. This procedure uses the child’s own tissue, which allows the newly constructed ear to grow and show pigment changes like the child’s normal ear. Sometimes the grafted tissue does not hold up well under the healing process, and scars can pull it out of its normal position, but a skilled surgeon will help prevent this.

The integrated cartilage graft is an improvement on this technique that also uses rib tissue, but makes use of the cartilage that exists in the ear as well, integrating them so that they are as strong as possible while still maintaining a natural appearance. Again, this uses the child’s own tissue to repair microtia, allowing the new ear to grow with the child.

The wrap around earlobe technique can be used in the four-stage reconstruction surgery. In the traditional surgery, the new ear does not hang freely off of the head, but is rather permanently tacked to the head. The wrap around earlobe technique lets the child’s existing tissue integrate on both the front and back surfaces of the grafted tissue. This allows the lobe to hang freely from the head, greatly improving the results of the surgery, giving the child a more natural looking ear.

Some surgeons who fix microtia are able to use the juxtaposition ear technique. This allows the child’s natural ear to be grafted into the new cartilage and skin tissue. When this technique is used, the child is subject to less cutting through the surgery, and the child’s existing tissue remains where it originally was. This requires a surgeon with extra training, because manipulating the existing cartilage incorrectly can damage the child’s hearing.

If your child is old enough for surgery to correct microtia, and you have decided to pursue surgery, take the time to find a doctor with extensive training in this technique. The better the surgeon’s techniques, the more natural your child’s results will be. Some surgeons still use plastic to treat this condition, but a plastic ear only looks good sometimes. When the child’s pigmentation changes, such as when he blushes, the plastic ear does not change. Living tissue is the most natural-looking solution. Also, some doctors will perform the surgery the same way on every patient. It is better to find a surgeon who will make the ear custom for your child, ensuring the results are as natural looking as possible.