 |
 |
|
Facial Surgery
 Plastic surgery chin implants
|
Ear Recostruction SurgeryEar Reconstruction Surgery - Introduction
Ear reconstruction, sometimes seen as auricular construction, is a procedure that has helped numerous patients in the general look enhancement of their face. Some patients have been affected by congenital deformities/defects of the ear. These defects can lead to emotional as well as physical trauma. In some cases, a deformity of the ear canal can lead to difficulties with hearing and thus need the ear reconstruction procedure in order to restore normal hearing. Ear reconstruction has improved greatly over the years, and continues to help patients with more and more complex deformities. It can be of two types: outer ear reconstruction and inner ear reconstruction.
Ear Reconstruction Surgery For Congenital Deformities
Ear reconstruction has been dated as far back as 600 BC in India. Even then, doctors were reported to have used skin from other parts of the body to reconstruct ear lobes. Gaspare Tagliocozzi has been reported to have used skin from the arm in order to reconstruct the ear in the sixteenth century. And in 1845, Dieffenbach in Germany performed an ear reconstruction that involved the upper auricle of the ear—the patient’s ear had been severed by a saber. Interestingly enough, surgeons of the nineteenth century had all but dismissed total ear reconstruction due to the inability to find another material that would mimic the cartilage that makes up the ear shape.
As time went on and medical advances continued, the twentieth century afforded patients the opportunity to have a complete ear reconstruction as costal cartilage grafts were used. A gentleman by the name of Tanzer made the innovation of using rib cartilage for the reconstruction of the ear. These techniques are still used today. Modern medicine has also afforded patients the choice of total ear reconstruction by means of implants and silastic frameworks.
Ear Reconstruction Surgery – Suitable Candidates
The best candidates for ear reconstruction include those patients whose ears are done growing - over six years of age. Also, the condition of the surrounding skin is a factor in predicting the best outcome for the patient. The more pliable the skin is, the more able is will be to be stretched over the reconstructed part and the less visible it will be. Patients whose skin is damaged - by smoking, radiation, etc., may not be able to heal as quickly as other patients. Children below six years of age are the best candidates because they have more rib cartilage from which to draw material to reconstruct with.
Ear Reconstruction – Procedure
Prior to the ear reconstruction procedure, the patient will need to have a CT scan done in order to determine the extent of the damage. A proper medical evaluation will also be done in order to determine the patient’s ability to heal and endure the ear reconstruction procedure. In some cases, a biopsy may be done to rule out a malignant growth, but this is very rare. Extraneous hair will also need to be removed either via electrolysis or by having the hair follicles clipped.
In most ear reconstruction procedures, rib grafting is needed in order to obtain a sufficient amount of cartilage to reconstruct the ear. In first stage of the ear reconstruction, this material is obtained from the eighth rib. The eight rib is in a particular place is which it connects with other ribs. This formation lets a physician take cartilage from the area by means of a small incision through the fatty layer of skin. The cartilage is taken and then the area is sutured back together with a drain in place.
In the next stage of the ear reconstruction, the surgeon will begin to place the cartilage in the structure of the ear in order to create a smoother appearance. This stage of the ear reconstruction can be six months after the initial harvest of the cartilage. The next stage involves the creation of the ear. This stage occurs after the second stage has fully healed and new blood vessels have formed and thrived. In the third stage, the ear is being reconstructed fully in order to correct whatever deformity may present in the particular patient. And in the final stage, the ear lobe is created if sufficient skin is available to do so.
Ear Reconstruction – Aftercare
Following the ear reconstruction, great care is taken to make sure that the ear is function as it should. Most of the pain that a patient feels is where the cartilage was taken from the rib, but this can be lessened with smaller incisions. A drain will be placed in the area that was operated on, and some patients may need to stay a few days in the hospital for observation. A protective dressing will be placed on the area in order to speed the healing and protect the area from infection. Following the ear reconstruction, it is vital that the patient, or patient’s parent, work hard to ensure that the surgeon’s postoperative instructions are followed. The sutures will remain on the area for a while and will need to be cleaned and maintained. As the ear reconstruction is done in stages, each stage will necessitate its own set of instructions.
Ear Reconstruction – Risks And Complications
As with any surgery, there are risks of complications with ear reconstruction. A good surgeon will be careful not to stretch the skin too much, thus avoiding skin loss at the surgery site. Skin discoloration may occur. The patient’s body may reabsorb the cartilage used to rebuild the ear. The ear reconstruction may not stay where it was placed, and may require follow up surgery. And as with all surgeries, infection and bleeding may occur. If the ear reconstruction site should feel warm to the touch, or is the patient should run a high fever following the surgery, it is best to report it to the surgeon. Antibiotics may be needed.