I often get asked how the ear will look like at the 2-week post-operative visit after a MEDPOR™ Ear Reconstruction for Microtia.
So, after surgery, i usually apply a blue silicone mold on the reconstructed ear. That mold is fixated to the scalp with sutures and stays in for a total of 2 weeks. At the 2-week post-op visit, we remove the mold in the office and wash the head of the patient. Parents are shown how to wash the ear gently daily using their fingers. A silicone splint is made for use each night for 4 months. A light coating of antibiotic ointment is placed on the ear before applying the splint for the next week.
At that point, the ear is usually quite swollen. With MEDPOR™ ear reconstrustion, the swelling is worse at the beginning and keeps getting better with time. So you will expect a relatively swollen ear when we remove the mold. The older the patient is, the more swelling it will be… It ultimately all gets better with time, over the first 4-6 months.
Here is a picture of an ear reconstruction performed 2 weeks ago. We just removed the mold. Still swollen, but everything looks good and viable. I am convinced he will have a great result. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
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