Long-term Outcomes of Infant Ear Molding: A 10-year Single-Surgeon Experience

This study assesses long-term results of ear molding and factors associated with improved outcomes.

Consecutive infants treated by a single surgeon from 2012 to 2023 were reviewed. Photographs before device application (time T0) and within 6 months of device removal (time T1) were collected. Satisfaction responses and long-term photographs (time T2) were collected from parents. Deformity severity at the 3 timepoints was determined by the surgeon and participants recruited via crowdsourcing using a 4-point severity scale.

Of 97 parent respondents, 78 (80%) were satisfied, 15 (16%) were neutral, and 4 (4%) were dissatisfied with the appearance of their child's treated ear(s). Predictors of satisfaction included absence of ear prominence (P = 0.018), InfantEar use (P = 0.002), and longer follow-up (P = 0.047). Thirty patients with 47 deformities had photographs at T1 = 0.2 ± 2.8 years and T2 = 6.5 ± 2.8 years after treatment, which were evaluated by 236 laypeople. From T0 to T1, surgeon severity score decreased from a median of 3.0 [3.0-3.0] to 2.0 [1.0-2.0] (P< 0.001), which further decreased to 1.0 [1.0-2.0] at T2 (P = 0.064). From T0 to T1, layperson severity score decreased from 2.4 [1.8-2.9] to 1.5 [1.2-2.1] (P < 0.001), which further decreased to 1.3 [1.1-1.5] at T2 (P = 0.015). Surgeon and layperson scores differed at T0 (P < 0.001), whereas posttreatment scores were similar (P = 0.958, P = 0.495). Predictors of improved layperson scores at T2 included absence of ear prominence (P < 0.001), earlier treatment (P = 0.043), and longer follow-up (P = 0.005).

The appearance of ear deformities was significantly improved at more than 6 years after treatment and tended to normalize with growth.