Microtia - Understanding Causes And The Condition

Microtia is a condition many children are born with

. The causes are sometimes not fully understood. Those who have this condition have a poorly developed outer ear. This can occur for various reasons, and there can be differentlevels of deformity present. Many times, parents do not learn of the condition until the child is born. If this occurs, doctors may or may not offer a treatment for it.

Classifications of the Condition

Microtia is a term used to describe various stages of missing or malformed ears. In the classification known as anotia, the ear is not present. In some cases, this also includes a very small portion of the ear remaining present. It is the most severe form of the condition. In grade 1, the ear is smaller than what is considered normal. The features may be normal, such as with a lobule, anti-helix and helix present, but the size is usually the difference here. Sometimes, external auditory canals may or may not be present.

In grade 2, the condition is missing the normal features of the ear. For many, this means the lobule is present and there is some remnant of the helix and anti-helix present. In the grade three level, which is often called the classic case, there is a completely different appearance. A vertical skin appendage occurs with a malformed lobule (this is the earlobe.) Cartilage is often present, but it is not in the natural state.

What's Behind It?

It is important to know that doctors do not fully understand what causes this condition. It happens in males more commonly than in girls. It also occurs on the right side more commonly. However, about 10 percent of situations involve both ears. Some theories of why it happens center around a decreased supply of blood to the ear during the development of the child in the womb. In some cases, medications like Accutane, retinoic acid and thalidomide taken by the mother during pregnancy may cause the condition. Still others believe that environmental factors are the main cause of the problem.

What is important to know is that there may be options available. You may not know what caused the condition to occur in the first place, but you can take steps to ensure that children with this condition get the best possible outcome. In some cases, especially in the classic variety of the condition, it is possible for surgical procedures to carefully correct the condition to improve the way it looks. In other cases, this may not be possible. Every situation needs an independent evaluation to determine what the expectations are and what the potential options are for correctly the problem.

by: Anna Woodward

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