Strive to become an ordinary child ▏ re-engineering of the pinna in children with congenital microtia

The 9-year-old boy Xiao Lu was born with microtia, no ears in the right ear position, no ear canal, only two sausage-like meat balls. While other parents want their children to be more eye-catching, Lu's parents hope that he can get less attention and become an ordinary child.

On December 16, 2021, the day before Xiao Lu's auricular reconstruction surgery, Xiao Lu's mother was so excited that she almost stayed up all night. "When the child was born, because the hair was blocked, there was no problem with the ears, and the next day the child's grandmother only found out when she changed the child's clothes." Our hearts fell directly from heaven to hell. At that time, we made up our minds that we must cure our children. Finally, it's time for this day! ”

The deformed ears not only brought a heavy hammer to the family, but also caused a double blow to Xiao Lu physically and mentally. 9 years old is the age when boys are lively and mischievous, but Xiao Lu is unusually quiet. Due to the need for surgery, Xiao Lu shaved his hair. After looking in the mirror, Xiao Lu was very dissatisfied with his bald head shape. Even so, he did not cry loudly, but quietly wiped his tears with the quilt. Xiao Lu's mother believes that Xiao Lu's personality is so introverted, which has a lot to do with what happened to him since childhood.

"Sometimes classmates scratch his ears, and he goes home and cries and asks me why my ears are different from others. I told him that your ears haven't grown yet, and when they do, they'll be the same as everyone else's. There was no way but to coax first. "We have been to many hospitals, some hospitals say that they can only have surgery after the age of 18, and the more the child grows up, the more sensitive his mind is, and he can't wait for 9 years." After comparing many hospitals and doctors, we finally chose Chen Dong, director of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of Shandong ENT Hospital. Now look forward to your child's ears growing out quickly and returning to normal life as soon as possible. ”

The Department of Otorhinolaryngology of Shandong OTS Hospital has extensive experience in the treatment of congenital microtia. Director Chen Dong introduced: "Congenital microtia refers to the child's underdevelopment of the pinna at birth, the lack of shape, the absence of normal auricular form, and the overall structure is particularly small. A significant proportion of patients with congenital microtia have ear canal deformities, including complete atresia of the ear canal, or only narrow ear canal. Xiao Lu's left ear is normal, and the right ear is congenital microtia and atresia of the ear canal, with extremely poor hearing. ”

According to Director Chen Dong, auricular reconstruction and ear canal reconstruction are two different stages, which need to be treated according to the plan and steps. What Xiao Lu is going through is the process of auricular reconstruction, which is to be completed in two phases. The first stage requires taking the patient's rib cartilage, carving it into the form of an auricle, and burying it in the part that does not have long ears. After about half a year, the cartilage will survive and undergo a second stage of treatment. The surface of the implanted auricular cartilage is covered with skin and has the basic surface shape of the auricle. The second stage of treatment involves erecting the pinna, a process also called erect ears. After the ear stand, the ear undergoing surgery is like the contralateral ear, protruding on both sides of the head and will not be particularly noticeable.

CT showed that the right ear of The atresia of the little Lu ear canal met the conditions for opening the ear canal. Between improving hearing by opening the ear canal or improving hearing by wearing a hearing aid, Xiao Lu's mother did not hesitate to choose to open the ear canal. "I still want to make my children as much as possible like ordinary children, and I hope that one day, I will no longer attract the surprised and pitiful eyes of others."

The first stage of surgery for xiaolu's pinna reconstruction was carried out very smoothly, and through the retained information, it can be seen that the shape of the reconstructed pinna is very beautiful. Xiao Lu's healthy left ear is full of shape and clear contours, in order to keep the two ears consistent, Director Chen Dong made the right ear according to the shape of Xiao Lu's left ear. I believe that after the operation is completed, the handsome Xiao Lu will definitely become more confident and shining.

Expert Profiles

Chen Dong

Director of The Department of Otoronics, Deputy Chief Physician, Doctor of Medicine, Visiting Scholar of Stanford University, USA

Member of the Plastic and Aesthetic Group of the Third Committee of the Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgeon Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association

Areas of Expertise: Ear Sciences/Otorhinolary Surgery

Scope of diagnosis and treatment: pinna reconstruction of congenital microtia / correction of pinna deformities and defects, external auditory canal stenosis / atresia of the external auditory canal, non-surgical correction of congenital pinna deformation of newborns, diagnosis and treatment of anterior fistula, treatment of pinna pinna keloids

Department Profile

Otorhinomics

The Department of Otorhinolaryngology of Shandong OTH Hospital is one of the earliest units in China to carry out full auricular reconstruction, and has taken the lead in carrying out autologous cartilage plastic full auricles reconstruction surgery, cup ear, stroke ear, pinna defect repair surgery and has accumulated rich clinical experience. Plastic surgery such as auricular reconstruction originally belonged to the rhinobial face plastic surgery specialty. With the improvement of the level of diagnosis and treatment and the development of the field of diagnosis and treatment, the development of disciplines and the refinement of specialties, the department of otoroplasty has become an independent sub-professional department. The Department of Otoplasty carries out auricular and external auditory canal plastic surgery, such as four-stage surgery such as pinna reconstruction, tertiary surgery such as pinna deformity correction and external ear canal plasty, and non-surgical correction for neonatal pinna morphological deformities, which is a professional discipline specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as pinna deformity and ear canal deformity.