Pediatric external ear deformity, wondering if there is a canal, how to perform surgery

Patient's question:

Pediatric external ear deformity

Doctor's answer:

The best time for surgery is between the ages of six and seven, ideally before starting school. At this age, the size of the child's auricle has reached about 70% of an adult's size. After the surgery, the reconstructed auricle will be very similar to the normal side. After starting school, the child will not be mocked by classmates due to the auricle deformity.
Currently, the surgical method is mostly a two-stage procedure. The first stage involves the placement of an expandable skin expander behind the ear. This requires weekly injections of saline for about two months, followed by maintaining the expanded skin flap for over a month to ensure stability. The second stage is the implantation of an auricle prosthesis. There are two types of auricle prostheses: one carved from the patient's own costal cartilage and the other Medpor. The prosthesis made from the patient's own costal cartilage has better biocompatibility, but it leaves a cartilage graft scar on the chest.