Microtia Part II: Post-Operation and Complications Management Lessons from 1012 Ear Reconstruction Operations

Ear reconstruction presents challenges for surgeons, not only during the pre-operation and in-operation stages, but also post-operation. The post-operation stage and the treatment of complications are critical to the overall success of ear reconstruction surgery.

This article, the second of two articles setting out details and precautions for each step of the ear reconstruction process for microtia patients, covers post-operative care: negative pressure drainage, bandaging and fixing, nursing, treatment of complications and satisfaction survey.

Over the period Jan 2015-July 2021, our surgical team treated 77 complications in 1012 microtia ear reconstructions. This article presents the key learnings from this high volume of operations. All complications were treated promptly and the shape of the auricle was preserved as much as possible. Patients were surveyed after the operation and expressed satisfaction with the shape of the reconstructed external auricle. Three typical cases involving different types of complications are described.

This article deals in detail with the post-operation stage. We share our cumulative surgical experience gained over 20 years, especially the latest practical lessons gleaned over the last six and a half years.

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