subject: Microtia: What Are The Options Available To Fix The Deformity? [print this page] Many children and adults have microtia and want to change the look of their ears. If you know someone who has this birth defect, then there are many ways of fixing the deformity.
Microtia happens when a hearing organ is incompletely formed and is small in shape. Most of the time, only one of the two is affected; however, sometimes both are. It is not a life threatening condition, however many children who have the defect have other defects around the face or head. It can be a hereditary condition but many times kids will get the defect and not have any history of it in the family.
There are drugs that the mother may expose to the fetus, that if taken early during the pregnancy can result in the defect because the organs of hearing form during the early weeks of the first trimester. Most people who suffer from this do not have a normal external ear and they can have problems listening. The amount of the hearing loss can fluctuate depending on the individual.
Currently there are ways for children with partial hearing and part of the hearing organ incomplete, to undergo surgery to produce a normal looking appearance. This surgery works best for children however because the doctor is more likely to create a more aesthetically pleasing ear for the young patient. This can be great for young children because many kids start to get ridiculed when they go to school about the appearance of their face. They can become self conscious and suffer from emotional issues also. In the past, most parents just counseled their children or forced them to wear a prosthetic one.
However wearing a prosthetic does not make one look natural and requires that you go back and get another one multiple times a year. Now doctors can create a human one, which can be a long and arduous process which can last for almost two years. The procedure can be very expensive however some insurance companies can cover the cost of the surgery. If you are unsure, then it makes sense to check with your insurance company. However, most people who undergo this process are very satisfied with their surgery.
If you know a child or an adult who has microtia, then there are many options available for them. There are ways or reconstructing this organ so that the patient can have two fully functional, aesthetically pleasing ones.
