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Constricted Ear

Treatment

If diagnosed in the neonatal period, constricted ears can be treated with ear molding.

However, if patients present later in life, a surgical treatment is often needed and the type and extent of the procedure varies based on the severity of the deformity. Surgery is usually delayed until the patient is at least 5 to 7 years of age, making sure that the ear is of adequate size and that surgery will not affect significantly growth.

For mild cases, a helical advancement +/- standard otoplasty techniques (e.g. lop ear: tumbling concha-cartilage flap) is sufficient for the reconstruction.

For the most severe cases, the native ear may need to be discarded and a full auricular reconstruction is warranted, such as in the cases of microtia.

It is important that the surgical treatment varies widely and must be tailored to the patients’ and families’ needs, wishes as well as the severity of the deformity.