Ear Reconstruction
When your ear has a more balanced shape, you may find it easier to relax in conversation and think about it less.
Is this right for you?
Ear reconstruction is for people born with microtia, a condition in which the outer ear, the ear canal, and the middle ear are underdeveloped, affecting both appearance and hearing. How much is missing varies a great deal from one person to the next, from part of the outer ear to nearly all of it. A consultation helps us understand where you stand and which option suits you.
This may be a good fit if
- You were born with microtia and are missing part or most of the outer ear, on one side or both.
- A child between roughly six and eight years old, the age when the cartilage of the ear and the rib cartilage have grown enough to build a framework.
- You want to rebuild a more balanced ear shape and understand that this can take more than one operation.
- You are ready for the tests we do beforehand, including a hearing assessment and an evaluation of the outer and middle ear structures.
This may not be right if
- A child is still too young, before the rib cartilage has grown enough to shape an ear framework.
- You are hoping for a single, one-and-done procedure using your own cartilage, which usually needs two operations.
- You have a health condition that makes anaesthesia or surgery unsafe for now. A consultation helps make this clear.
How it works
Before you decide anything, you are seen by a plastic surgeon together with an ear, nose, and throat specialist. Together they talk through your situation and the treatment options, check your hearing, and assess the outer and middle ear so the condition is understood clearly. You also have routine blood work and a CT scan of the skull and face to check that you are well enough for surgery.
The ear can be rebuilt in two ways, and your surgeon will weigh the right choice with you. The first uses your own cartilage: the surgeon takes rib cartilage from your own body and carves it into an ear framework. This material is readily available, agrees with your body, and carries a lower risk of infection. The second uses a synthetic material, a porous polyethylene framework (Medpor, a medical plastic with tiny pores) that is wrapped in a flap of tissue from the temple and then covered with a skin graft. This way can be done earlier and may mean fewer operations, but the risk of infection, of the body rejecting the implant, and of the skin graft dying is higher.
The number of operations depends on the method. With the synthetic material, it usually takes one. With your own rib cartilage, the surgeons here work through two operations. Each one lasts about two to three hours.
In the weeks before surgery, you will need to avoid aspirin along with certain anti-inflammatory medicines and herbal supplements that can raise the risk of bleeding. Your surgeon will tell you exactly what to stop and when.
Realistic expectations
Ear reconstruction rebuilds the shape of the ear, but there are limits we want to name plainly so you can picture this clearly.
What this will not do
- This surgery focuses on the shape of the outer ear; on its own, it does not restore hearing lost because of problems with the ear canal or middle ear.
- A reconstructed ear is a rebuilt structure, not identical in every detail to an ear that formed naturally.
- Your surgeons do not promise a specific result; the final shape depends on how much was affected, the method chosen, and how your body heals.
Recovery
Every body heals at its own pace, so the points below are rough estimates to help you prepare, not an exact schedule.
- Hospital stay
- About five days for each operation.
- Early recovery
- Recovery takes roughly one to two weeks.
- Between operations
- With the rib cartilage method, the reconstruction is completed over two operations; your surgeon will schedule the next one.
- Follow-up after surgery
- You return for scheduled visits so your surgeon can check how the ear and the area where cartilage was taken are healing.
Risks & safety
As with any surgery, ear reconstruction carries risks tied to anaesthesia and to the operation itself. Your surgeon will talk these through with you before you decide.
- An allergic reaction to medicines used in anaesthesia or treatment.
- A collection of blood or fluid at the surgical site.
- Infection, a risk that is higher when synthetic material is used.
- Gradual resorption, where the cartilage of the framework breaks down over time.
- Rejection of the synthetic material, or death of the skin grafted over the framework.
- Poor scarring at the ear or where the rib cartilage was taken.
- Complications where the rib cartilage was taken, such as air or blood collecting around the lung.
How we do it
Here, you are seen by both a plastic surgeon and an ear, nose, and throat specialist before any plan is made. Two specialties assessing you together means both the shape of the outer ear and the structure and function of the inner ear are considered, so the advice fits your real situation.
Our surgeons perform both approaches, using your own rib cartilage or a synthetic Medpor framework, and explain the strengths and drawbacks of each one honestly. With the method that uses your own cartilage, the work is divided into two operations so the framework is built in a controlled way.
Frequently asked questions
Will the surgery hurt?
The operation is done under anaesthesia, so you feel no pain during it. Afterward, the ear and the area where rib cartilage was taken will feel tight and sore for a while; your surgeon will guide you on managing the discomfort.
Will there be scars?
Yes. Poor scarring is a risk we name plainly, and it can appear at the ear and where the rib cartilage was taken when your own cartilage is used.
How many operations are needed?
It depends on the method. The synthetic material usually takes one. With your own rib cartilage, the surgeons here work through two operations.
How long does each operation take, and how many days in hospital?
Each operation lasts about two to three hours, and the hospital stay for each one is around five days.
How long does recovery take?
Recovery takes roughly one to two weeks, but every person heals at their own pace, so this is only an estimate.
What age is right to begin?
The right age to begin is around six to eight years old, when the cartilage of the ear has reached about 85 to 90 percent of its adult size and the rib cartilage is large enough to build a framework.
Will the reconstructed ear look natural?
The goal is to rebuild a more balanced ear shape. This is a reconstructed structure, and the result depends on how much was affected, the method chosen, and how your body heals; your surgeon does not promise a specific result.
Will this surgery help me hear better?
Ear reconstruction focuses on the shape of the ear. On its own, it does not restore hearing that has been lost; the hearing test and middle-ear assessment done beforehand help your surgeon advise you about the hearing side of things.
Should I choose my own cartilage or synthetic material?
Your own cartilage is readily available, agrees with your body, and carries a lower risk of infection, though there can be complications where it is taken. Synthetic material can be done earlier and may mean fewer operations, but the risk of infection, rejection, and skin-graft death is higher. Your surgeon will weigh this with you.
What do I need to do before surgery?
You have an examination, a consultation, a hearing test, an assessment of the ear structures, routine blood work, and a CT scan of the skull and face. You will also need to avoid aspirin, certain anti-inflammatory medicines, and herbal supplements that can raise the risk of bleeding.
The next step
The next step is a conversation - book a consultation.
The content on this page is for reference only and does not replace a direct examination and consultation with a specialist physician. Surgical outcomes vary from person to person.