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Early nonsurgical correction of congenital auricular deformities
Yehuda Ullmann1, Shraga Blazer, Yitzchak Ramon
1Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Rambam Medical Center, Haaliah St. 8, Haifa, Israel. y_ullman@rambam.health.gov.il
Insights
Early splinting effectively corrects congenital ear deformities in newborns, offering a non-surgical solution. This treatment improved all treated ears, with 87% showing excellent results and no complications.
Area of Science:
- Plastic Surgery
- Pediatric Otolaryngology
- Neonatal Care
Background:
- Congenital auricular deformities are common and can cause distress to children and parents.
- Existing surgical correction methods have limitations and potential complications.
- There is a need for effective, non-surgical treatments for ear deformities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of early splinting using a specific molding material for congenital ear deformities.
- To assess the outcomes and safety of this conservative treatment in newborns.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 52 newborn infants (92 auricles) with various ear deformities (lop, prominent, Stahl's, constricted ears).
- Application of 'Putty Soft' (vinyl polysiloxane impression material) for ear molding, secured with surgical tapes.
- Treatment initiated within the first 10 days of life, with a mean duration of 6.8 weeks.
Main Results:
- All treated ears showed improvement.
- 87% of treated auricles achieved an 'excellent' improvement rating.
- No complications were reported in relation to the early splinting procedure.
Conclusions:
- Early splinting is a highly effective and safe conservative treatment for congenital auricular deformities.
- Increased awareness and implementation of this procedure among healthcare professionals are recommended.
- This method offers a viable alternative to surgical correction for affected infants.
Abstract:
Congenital auricular deformation is not an uncommon phenomenon, and it may cause substantial annoyance to the growing child. Many parents of affected children will seek surgical correction of the deformed auricles. The variety of techniques that have been described for the correction of this anomaly suggests that none has been considered satisfying. The consequent possible surgical complications should also be considered, when the surgical procedure can be replaced by an effective conservative treatment. The authors describe their experience using early splinting for congenital auricular deformities. Fifty-two newborn infants with lop, prominent, Stahl's, and constricted ears referred to us by the neonatal department staff were enrolled in this study. Putty Soft, a vinyl polysiloxane impression material, has been used for early molding of the auricles. Surgical tapes were used for the fixation of the mold and to fix the auricle to the scalp. The results were evaluated by one of the parents and by a layperson (medical student) 6 months after completion of the procedure. The above-described early splinting procedure was applied onto 92 auricles of 52 newborn infants aged 1 to 10 days, mostly around day 3. The mean treatment time was 6.8 weeks. All treated auricles were improved, 87 percent were rated as excellent improvement, and there were no complications related to the treatment. The authors conclude that early splinting of deformed auricles should be offered to parents of affected children, and the awareness of this procedure by neonatologists, pediatricians, and nursery staff should be increased.