Ear reconstruction is performed to repair, rebuild or alter the shape of ears.
Reconstructive surgery differs from cosmetic surgery in that it is performed to correct an abnormality or deformity that has resulted due to a birth defect, a traumatic accident or skin cancer.
The surgeons who perform this type of surgery are licensed by the Board of Otolaryngology and the Academy of Facial and Plastic Reconstructive Surgeons.
Cosmetic surgery is performed to alter the size, shape and positioning of the ears.
It is also referred to as ear pinning or otoplasty.
Reconstructive surgery has a different goal and that is to recapture the look of a normal ones.
Microtia is the medical classification for a variety of deformities which are genetic.
These defects pertain to the external ear and its appearance rather than the inner workings.
For this reason, hearing loss is not a problem.
Children often have repair operations at an early age so that their self image and esteem is preserved.
Skin cancer affects many people each year.
The effects of sun damage take their toll over the years, causing not only aging skin, but basal and squamous cell skin cancer.
Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer and has been linked to excessive sun exposure, as well as other causes.
In order to properly treat skin cancer, it is often necessary to remove the diseased areas, which can cause deformities, especially in the facial areas.
In areas such as the ear, there is very little extra tissue to maneuver in order to cover the excised cancerous region.
Advanced surgical techniques, such as the Mohs procedure, are used in order to salvage as much healthy tissue as possible.
Mohs surgery is a method by which the doctor removes tissue in tiny increments in order to examine them under a microscope to determine where the borders of the cancer are.
With this conservative technique, as little tissue is removed as possible.
In earlier times, the amount to be excised was more guesswork and surgeons would take a larger chunk in order to be sure that the diseased portion was entirely eliminated.
This was good for getting rid of the disease, but not so great at preserving a normal appearance.
In the Scalp Advancement Flap method, the doctor is able to move skin from the scalp area behind the ear into a position that allows for repair of the deformity.
This method is performed in stages over a period of time, but ends up with quite a successful outcome.