Treatment of Ear Deformity

About the disease

Ear deformity is a relatively common condition which is usually congenital. According to MedScape, approximately 5% of newborn babies are born with some extent of ear deformity. In some cases this deformity resolves on its own with child`s growth, while in others, it stays present in adulthood. Ear deformity is usually a cosmetic deformity. It rarely affects the hearing itself, but it can present some problems for the self-esteem and also cause the person to think about plastic surgery, which is usually the best resolution in case of severe ear deformity.

Two most common types of ear deformity are protruding ears and ear microtia. Protruding ears is the condition when ears protrude abnormally beyond the normal range. In some cases the protrusion is so slight people do not even notice it, while in others protrusion can be 4-8 cm out of the normal range. Protruding ears can be presented as either unilateral or bilateral condition, meaning that the ear protrudes either on one or both sides. Bilateral protrusion is more common. In many cases protrusion disappears by the time the child is 10 years old, when the growth of the skeleton and ear bones stabilizes the appearance of the ears. In other cases, protruding ears can be present even in adulthood.

Ear microtia is a condition when the ear is too small. Microtia can also be either bilateral or unilateral. Microtia is more common in males and it mostly develops only on the right side. There are several degrees of microtia depending on how small the ear is. There are basically 3 grades with the 1st having almost the normal size of the ear and with the 3rd grade having an extremely small ear. Normal features of the ear may be absent. In anotia the ear is absent altogether. The exact cause of ear deformities is not known. Genetic predisposition and also problems during the pregnancy can be the causes of ear deformity. Genetic mutation can also become the cause of this condition.    

Symptoms

• Ears look disproportionate
• Ears are protruding
• Ears do not grow as the skeleton grows

Diagnosis

• During a general examination, the doctor will examine the ear structure of the child to determine the exact type of ear deformity and also its extent.
• The doctor will ask the mother if there had been any problems during the pregnancy or if this condition runs in the family of the child.
• The doctor can conduct the audiogram to check the hearing of the child. Sound waves are sent into the ears through headphones to determine if the child hears them on all volumes which are normal for the hearing.
• A CT scan or MRI can be used as well to examine the ear structure from the inside and determine if everything functions normally.

Treatment

• While it is relatively common for plastic surgeons to correct the protruding ears, it is a more complex surgery to correct the microtia of the ear. There are fewer specialists which specialize in correcting microtia, but, still, this condition can be corrected if the timing for surgery was chosen correctly.
• Ear plastic surgery aims to correct the type of ear deformity the child has in order to make the ear structure normal. The surgery is important to perform in severe cases, especially if ear deformity creates any problems for the hearing.
• The surgery is usually recommended to perform after the child is 6 years old in order to prevent risk of complications.

Authors: Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk, Dr. Sergey Pashchenko