Ear Reconstruction and Plastic Surgery

Some rare genetic defects and serious trauma can result in the entire ear or portions of it that are missing. Such a flaw is even more obvious than protruding and deformed ears since entire sections of the ear are seriously deformed or missing. People with serious ear defects like this desire a solution that can give them back what they lost. Their self-confidence is often diminished and the humiliation they suffer every day can be crippling. There's now hope for these people. That's because ear reconstruction through plastic surgery has a way to rebuild an ear.

Plastic surgeons have been experimenting with ear reconstruction for many years. There are some key challenges to overcome when approaching any ear reconstruction. It is a lengthy procedure that requires a lot of preparation and careful surgical work.

The major challenge in an ear reconstruction is to create a natural looking ear. In order to make one, suitable replacements for the ear's special cartilage and skin must be found. The cartilage in the ear is thin and softer than other kinds of cartilage in the body, while the skin is especially soft, flexible, and hairless. Doctors must find sufficient quantities of replacement material elsewhere in the body to successfully rebuild an ear. Lastly, the shape of the final product must look like a real ear and replicate its complex 3-D shape as much as possible. To this effect, surgeons often take pictures and casts of the patient's healthy ear and attempt to mirror it.

The skin usually comes from the legs or the arm, while the cartilage preferred comes from the ribs. The surgeon must gauge the right quantities of both, excise them, and place the over the target ear area. The skin must be pulled back with great care in order to make room for the donor material.

The entire procedure takes many hours and several different stages before completion. The healing process is also incredibly long and can be painful. Full effects of the surgery may not be seen until years afterwards, though a good indication of the relative success of the operation can be seen after half a year.

Ear reconstruction is a serious undertaking and is only for those with massive ear trauma or genetic defects. Though the final result is only an approximation of a healthy ear, it can give the patient a level of confidence and self-esteem that they have never experienced.