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When a child is born with an obvious ear deformity, which can happen in one in seven thousand births, the ear can be reconstructed. The procedure is one of the most precise and difficult ones but under an experienced surgeon, the success and the recovery chances are very bright.
The external ear can be restructured using the patient’s own rib cartilage. For that, the child has to be at least six to seven years of age so that the cartilage is mature and the ear formation is almost complete. The main problem in such cases is that it is a cosmetic challenge, which the surgeon has to fulfill by making both the ears symmetrical. In most cases the hearing may not be affected. And in cases where it is affected, one ear may be fully functional while the handicapped ear may have residual hearing. In such cases the doctors may concentrate only on the appearance and cosmetic value and not go in for the inner or middle ear reconstruction, as that is difficult.
The cartilage from the patient is removed surgically and implanted in the skin under the deformed ear and carved in such a way that the ear looks as normal as possible. Sutures hold it in place till it is fixed into the patient’s body. Bandages will be used to cover the ear and prevent infection. There may be swelling and fluid discharge, which will have to be monitored, and if it is in excess, the doctor will have to be informed. The patient will have to be hospitalized till the ear has recovered.
In case of middle and inner ear where surgery is the only option, the patient will need to have a total anesthesia and operated. If the bones of the middle ear are affected resulting in loss of hearing, then tiny implants using microsurgery techniques are fitted into the affected bones. In such cases care has to be taken that the patient does not sneeze or cough or yawn till the wound is healed. An external dressing will be applied for a few days. In case of ear lobe tear and surgery, the procedure is simpler. The tear is repaired and stitched. Antibiotic creams are applied till the lobes heal. If the eardrum has been perforated, the surgeon will stitch it if it doesn’t heal on its own. Again the precautions of not sneezing or coughing should be taken during the recovery period.
Most of the ear reconstruction surgeries and procedures are corrected and the hearing loss is remedied. Recovery after an ear reconstruction is high. |
