Patient's question:
A newborn was born with a deformity in the right ear, completely lacking an ear canal, making it impossible to test the newborn's hearing. Can surgery be performed to create an ear canal for the newborn? When is the best time to have the surgery?Doctor's answer:
To ensure the child's physical and mental health is not affected, the surgery should ideally be completed before the child starts school. The best age for the surgery is generally between 6 years old and before the onset of puberty (around 14 years old). If the child is too young, there may be limited availability of autologous costal cartilage due to its underdeveloped size, and potential growth changes could lead to alterations in the reconstructed ear's shape and chest deformities. However, it is also important not to wait too long to have the surgery. As the child grows older, the quality of the rib cartilage changes, which can affect the carving of the external ear framework and the maintenance of the final shape.