title: Microtia grade as an indicator of middle ear development in aural atresia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To correlate the appearance of the external ear with the development of the middle ear in patients with congenital aural atresia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of patients with congenital aural atresia. Obtain the microtia grades assigned to affected ears and correlate them with atresia scores that describe the degree of the middle ear malformation.
  
  
  METHODS
  University of Texas-Houston Otolaryngology Clinic (1988 to 1992).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 199 ears with congenital microtia and aural atresia and 25 ears with canal stenosis without microtia were identified, all of which had been previously evaluated by high-resolution computed tomography of the temporal bone, and then assigned an atresia score. Patients with Treacher Collins syndrome were not included in our study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average atresia score in cases with grade I microtia was 8.5; grade II microtia, 7.2; and grade III microtia, 5.9. In cases with canal stenosis without microtia, the average atresia score was 8.3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The better developed the external ear, the better developed the middle ear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas-Houston Medical School, USA.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kountakis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Helidonis
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Jahrsdoerfer
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000145:classification; D004431:Ear, External / Q000254:growth & development*; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed