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Cost of Ear Reconstruction |
There are different kinds of ear reconstructions. At birth, if the child has an obvious ear problem like incomplete ear, or big ears or asymmetrical ones, an operation using the rib cartilage is done. This is done around the age of six or eight as the ear would have fully developed and the rib cartilage would have matured by then. In this case the charges may not be much. But if it is a microsurgery of the middle ear or the inner ear which needs full anesthesia and takes a couple of hours with hospitalization, then the cost would definitely be more. This surgery would involve drilling holes and suturing the wound, bandaging and taking proper care of the ear. In some cases external devices may be used to make the person hear well. All this would cost more. In a simple case of lobe reconstruction, where the lobe of the ear has torn due to heavy earrings, or due to someone pulling it, or it has got elongated in an accident, then the wound will only have to be stitched and bandaged. This may require only a local anesthesia, an hour for the operation and no hospitalization. This again may not cost much. If the tympanic membrane or the ear drum has pierced or has ruptured because of infection or because of pushing some foreign body in the ear, or because of some accident and the perforation does not heal on its own, then stitching and closing the perforation may cost a bit more. Most of the time the perforation will heal on its own. In which case the doctor would have prescribed only some medicine and not suggested any surgery. The cost of an ear reconstruction would definitely depend on the type of procedure performed on the patient. The insurance companies would also take note of the necessity and the urgency of the surgery and in most cases, cover the costs. But one has to study the insurance policy beforehand to find out the ways and means of them covering the costs of the procedure. |
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