title: Nonsurgical correction of congenital ear abnormalities in the newborn: Case series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether a simple, nonsurgical treatment for congenital ear abnormalities (lop-ear, Stahl's ear, protruding ear, cryptotia) improved the appearance of ear abnormalities in newborns at six weeks of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a descriptive case series. All newborns with identified abnormalities were referred by their family physician to one paediatrician (WGS) in a small level 2 perinatal centre. The ears were waxed and taped in a standard manner within 10 days of birth. Pictures were taken before taping and at the end of taping (one month). All patients and pictures were assessed by one plastic surgeon (JWT) at six weeks of age and scored using a standard scoring system. A telephone survey of the nontreatment group was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total number of ears assessed was 90. Of this total, 69 ears were taped and fully evaluated in the study (77%). The refusal rate was 23%. In the treatment group, 59% had lop-ear, 19% had Stahl's ear, 17% had protruding ear and 3% had cryptotia. Overall correction (excellent/improved) for the treatment group was 90% (100% for lop-ear, 100% for Stahl's ear, 67% for protruding ear and 0% for cryptotia). In the nontreatment (refusal) group, 67% of the ears failed to correct spontaneously. No complications were recognized by the authors or parents by six weeks. The percentage of newborns in one year in the perinatal centre with recognized ear abnormalities was 6% (90 of 1600).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A simple, nonsurgical treatment in a Caucasian population appeared to be very effective in correcting congenital ear abnormalities with no complications and high patient/parent satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital, Orillia.
authors.forename: Wg
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Jw
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Toye
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: Rw
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Smith
references.citation: Clin Plast Surg. 1990 Apr;17(2):383-95
references.pmid: 2189652
references.citation: Br J Plast Surg. 1982 Apr;35(2):181-2
references.pmid: 7082894
references.citation: Pediatr Rev. 1993 Dec;14(12):473-4
references.pmid: 8115284
references.citation: Clin Plast Surg. 1978 Jul;5(3):347-50
references.pmid: 699489
references.citation: Plast Reconstr Surg. 1968 Mar;41(3):208-31
references.pmid: 5644613
references.citation: Laryngoscope. 1985 Feb;95(2):167-76
references.pmid: 3968950
references.citation: Clin Plast Surg. 2002 Apr;29(2):327-32, ix
references.pmid: 12120687
references.citation: Clin Plast Surg. 1990 Apr;17(2):305-18
references.pmid: 2189645
references.citation: Plast Reconstr Surg. 1972 Jan;49(1):33-7
references.pmid: 4550069
references.citation: Plast Reconstr Surg. 1984 Jan;73(1):38-51
references.pmid: 6691074
references.citation: Pediatrics. 1986 Sep;78(3):406-11
references.pmid: 3748674
references.citation: Ann Plast Surg. 1997 Mar;38(3):263-8
references.pmid: 9088465
references.citation: Br J Plast Surg. 1985 Jul;38(3):352-60
references.pmid: 4016423
references.citation: Br J Plast Surg. 1994 Dec;47(8):573-4
references.pmid: 7697287
references.citation: Pediatr Ann. 1999 Jun;28(6):387-90
references.pmid: 10382198
references.citation: Plast Reconstr Surg. 1998 Apr;101(4):907-14
references.pmid: 9514321
references.citation: Can J Plast Surg. 2003 Summer;11(2):87-9
references.pmid: 24222992
references.citation: Br J Plast Surg. 1994 Dec;47(8):575-8
references.pmid: 7697288
references.citation: J Perinatol. 1995 Jul-Aug;15(4):293-6
references.pmid: 8558337
references.citation: Br J Plast Surg. 1962 Oct;15:385-97
references.pmid: 13983457
references.citation: Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2002 Dec;128(12):1369-76
references.pmid: 12479722
references.citation: Plast Reconstr Surg. 2001 Dec;108(7):2157-8
references.pmid: 11743426