Question
How to Treat Congenital Ear Deformities?
Answer
Treatment for congenital ear deformities in hospitals involves two types of reconstructive surgery: staged and single-stage procedures. The traditional staged approach is a classic surgical method, generally consisting of three steps. The first step is to implant an ear framework. First, a transparent film is used to take a sample of the size of the opposite normal ear. Next, a piece of rib cartilage is harvested from the 7th to 9th intercostal region on the right side of the patient’s body. The doctor carefully carves the rib cartilage into an ear framework according to the shape of the sample, and then implants the framework into a pre-designed flap in the ear. Three months later, the second step, ear shaping surgery, is performed. During this period, the ear flap covering the cartilage framework is lifted forward, and a medium-thickness or full-thickness skin graft is planted on the back.