Satisfactory surgical option for congenital microtia with defects of external auditory meatus (EAM) and middle ear.
CONCLUSIONS
Improved appearance and hearing and increased efficiency are achievable for congenital microbia with defects of external auditory meatus (EAM) and middle ear. First the site of the external auditory meatus (EAM) orifice must be located according to the results of the temporal CT scan, then the auricle can be reconstructed employing the three-stage method. At the third stage, the EAM and middle ear can be reconstructed at the same time.


OBJECTIVE
To select the best approach for reconstruction of congenital microtia with defects of the EAM and middle ear.


METHODS
This study analyzed 498 cases (528 ears) of auricle reconstruction by the three-stage method and 77 cases (91 ears operation/120 ears) of EAM and middle ear reconstruction.


RESULTS
For auricular reconstructions, the effects of reconstructed auricles were classified into four grades according to their structure verisimilitude and the bilateral symmetry. The majority of patients/families were satisfied. For 52 ears with normal movement of stapes, reconstructions of EAM and middle ear improved hearing by 15-50 dB, but long-term improvement was not ideal. In bilateral patients, 20 of 24 ears with reconstructed EAMs exhibited relapse of stenosis or atresia. For patients whose EAMs were reconstructed first, scar developed around the orifice and affected the skin flap and later auricle reconstruction, while reconstructing the auricle first sometimes resulted in the location of the EAM orifice deviating from an ideal position.
Zou
Yi-Hui
YH
Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College (CAMS.PUMC), Beijing.
Zhuang
Hong-Xing
HX
Wang
Shu-Jie
SJ
Xue
Feng
F
Dai
Pu
P
Han
Dong-Yi
DY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000209:etiology; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology; D003638:Deafness / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D004431:Ear, External / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D046089:Hearing Loss, Mixed Conductive-Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D012008:Recurrence; D013524:Surgical Flaps