Ear Reconstruction

Ear Reconstruction Service

Our Children’s Hospital is one of the few centres in the country able to offer ear reconstruction for young people who have been born with either small ears (microtia) or no ear at all (anotia) or secondary to trauma or burns. You and your child will be seen by a team of specialists including ENT, Plastic Surgery, Prosthetists, Audiology and Clinical Nurse Specialists.

Ear reconstruction

Our patients are given three options for ear reconstruction.

The first option is an implant-retained prosthetic ear, which is undertaken by our prosthetic team at UHB. During your clinic visit, you will be given an opportunity to meet with our specialist team and see and touch the prosthetics and implants.

The second option is a Medpore ear reconstruction, pioneered by Dr Reinisch, which is an artificial implant that sits under the skin and is then covered with a temporoparietal fascial flap. The flap comes with an artery and a vein and so therefore is live tissue and covers the implant entirely. This is then covered with skin, which often includes a skin graft taken from elsewhere on the body. Drains are inserted and are often removed the following day. A dressing is placed for two weeks, night and day, followed by a silicone mould which is worn at nighttime only for 4 months. During these 4 months, your child should not sleep on this ear.

The third option is autologous ear reconstruction using rib cartilage, which is sculpted into the shape of an ear. This operation is done in two stages. The first stage involves harvesting your child’s own rib,s which are used to form the framework of a new ear. The second stage involves placing a block of cartilage under this framework to give the ear some projection. A dressing is applied after both procedures, followed by a silicone mould.

During your visit with us, you will have the opportunity to go through each of these options and together we will help you and your child decide which option is best suited to you.