Guest Post by Joseph J Rousso, MD, Assistant Professor, Division of Facial Plastic Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. Co-director of Cleft Lip, Palate, Microtia & Ear Anomalies services at The New York Eye & Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, New York, NY. To make an appointment with Dr. Rousso, call 212-979-4119.

Joseph J Rousso, MDThe feelings of angst, desperation, and hurt that a parent feels when their child is born with an ear malformation are indescribable. It leads to parental guilt, even though ear malformations are in no way the parents doing, and uncertainty about their child’s future and how they will be treated by their peers. About 5 percent of the population is born with what can be classified as an ear deformity, and yet so little attention is given to this subject matter.

About Microtia

Like many medical conditions, ear malformations fall on a large spectrum that ranges from small asymmetries to microtia (underdevelopment or absence of the external ear). The most common of these ear deformities is the prominent ears. Several news outlets have described personal stories of children whose outgoing and happy personalities turned into depression, and who didn’t want to go to school on account of being bullied about their ears.

The terrible effects that bullying has on the confidence of a developing child is one of the causes of the 30 percent increase in plastic surgery performed on children over the past decade. The corrective surgical procedure, referred to as ‘otoplasty,’ can be performed by age 5 and dramatically restore the child’s self-esteem and confidence. Many ear deformities can now be corrected within days after birth with new non-surgical ear molding office procedures. These ear molding procedures are often 100 percent effective and avoid any need for surgeries, particularly when performed within the first two weeks of age, as the child still has maternal hormones in the body. Therefore, it is important for parents to get in touch with a qualified corrective ear specialist within the first days of life in order to have the option of a successful non-surgical outcome.

Microtia, the most severe ear deformity, can be associated with hearing loss in addition to severe external deformity and psychosocial hardships. One celebrity advocate who has publicly discussed his experience with microtia is the frontman for the band KISS, Paul Stanley. Stanley has described the psychological struggle he had to overcome growing up different to other kids and the additional strain that his associated hearing impairment caused him while pursuing his passion of music. Stanley grew long hair to cover up the deformity and underwent several surgical procedures to try to correct it. In an interview with CNN, he states that medical advancements have greatly evolved since he was a child. Stanley encourages others suffering from ear malformations to take the initiative and do something about it.

Microtia Reconstruction Treatment Options

Microtia affects 1 to 3 of every 10,000 children, and requires expert comprehensive care for correction. Various options of microtia reconstruction exist and can vary from use of prosthetics to surgical formation of an ear using rib cartilage. These corrections can take from between 1 to 4 surgical procedures and can make a profound different in a patient’s life. Surgery may not be the answer to bullying, but any correctable ear malformation that can take away a child’s confidence or bring down their self-esteem is worth consulting with an expert.

To make an appointment with Dr. Rousso please call 212-979-4119.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share this post with your friends!

Share This

Share this post with your friends!

Shares