For children who have abnormally small, misshapen, or absent ears, it can significantly affect their quality of life. They might not be able to hear, and therefore have trouble in school or participating in group activities. They also might have difficulties making friends and their psychological state can suffer.
Luckily, there is treatment. Dr. Nicholas Bastidas, M.D., performs the latest in reconstructive surgery to restore the functional architecture and beauty of a full sized ear. His pioneered procedure (Real-Ear Reconstruction) uses cadaveric rib cartilage that recreates the structural frame of the ear for both children and adults. The procedure has minimal downtime and no overnight hospital stay.
Ear reconstruction surgery under Dr. Nicholas Bastidas goes beyond the procedure – In addition to offering state-of-the-art ear reconstruction, our care staff coordinates any care your child might need before and after surgery, including check-ups throughout the recovery period to ensure the ear heals properly. A 3D model of your child’s new ear will be created using data obtained from a preoperative CT Scan and used to create a custom cartilage reconstruction in the operating room.
What is Microtia ?
Microtia is a condition in children who have small or absent ears. Atresia almost always occurs with Microtia and is the underdevelopment or absence of the ear canal or middle ear structures. Microtia can affect both ears (bilateral Microtia) or one ear (unilateral Microtia).
What Causes Microtia and Atresia?
The exact cause of Microtia and Atresia is unknown, however, it is believed that genetics might play a role in the development of both congenital deformities. Parents who have one child with Microtia and Atresia are more likely to have other children with the deformities.
Does Microtia Affect Hearing?
Many children who have Microtia also have hearing loss, since Atresia (absence of the ear canal) is commonly present. Without an ear canal, sound waves cannot be transmitted to the inner ear.
Microtia & Atresia Treatment: Ear Reconstruction Surgery with Allograft Rib Cartilage (Real-Ear Technique)
For children with Microtia, or adults with ear abnormalities (from cancer or trauma), Dr. Bastidas has created a world-renowned technique that utilizes the advantages of similar methods to create the perfect ear. His technique combines the benefits of the traditional Rib Ear Reconstruction and Medpor Reconstruction techniques.
Dr. Bastidas uses cadaveric cartilage to reconstruct the ear, which has no significant risk of rejection and is completely safe. This allows Dr. Bastidas to reconstruct an ear starting at age 4 or 5 years old, without implants, without need for a scar on the chest, without significant pain, and as a 2-hour outpatient operation. Additionally, the reconstructed ear will have sensation and will be resistant to infections and blunt trauma in the future (unlike prosthetic ears).
Dr. Bastidas can sculpt your child’s new ear using cadaveric rib cartilage from the Musculoskeletal Tissue Foundation (MTF) and implant the construct allowing for real cartilage to be used in the ear reconstruction.
This option was previously unavailable to adults, as their cartilage calcifies and gets hard with time and therefore can not be sculpted. With Dr. Bastidas’ technique, ears lost from cancers, traumas, or birth defects in both adults and children can be reconstructed without any issue.
Previous methods required children to wait for the procedure until they were older (8-10 years old), causing psychological stress during the formative years. In addition, the surgeries could lead to hair loss, involve painful procedures, and require long hospital stays.
With Dr. Bastidas’ Real-Ear Reconstruction Technique:
- Real cartilage is used to reconstruct the ear (no medpor/plastic is used)
- There is minimal pain (only Motrin and Tylenol are needed) – your child can go to school within 2 days
- The outpatient procedure lasts less than 2 hours (minimal anesthesia exposure)
- Ears can be reconstructed as early as age 4
- Both adults and children can benefit from the reconstruction
In August 2020, Dr. Bastidas performed the world’s first non-immunogenic biologic ear reconstruction using processed cadaveric cartilage from the Musculoskeletal Tissue Foundation. Patients come from around the world to receive reconstructive treatment from Dr. Bastidas.
What To Expect:
Ear Reconstruction Surgery
Preparation for Ear Reconstruction Surgery
Dr. Bastidas will evaluate your child’s ear abnormality during the initial consultation. If your child is a candidate for ear reconstruction, he will discuss the Microtia surgery in detail, answering any questions you and your family might have regarding the procedure and post-treatment care. You will be notified if your child should discontinue any medications prior to the surgery. A 3D CT scan will be obtained to use for virtual and specific creating of your child’s customized reconstructed ear.
Additionally, Dr. Bastidas is offering virtual consultations for out-of-state and international patients.
Ear Reconstruction Surgery
The procedure will take less than 2 hours and is outpatient (you can go home the same day). General anesthesia is used, though minimized using local anesthesia. Dr. Bastidas uses cadaveric rib cartilage processed by the Musculoskeletal Tissue Foundation (MTF) to sculpt the ear and implant the construct. This allows for real cartilage to be used in your ear reconstruction or your child’s ear reconstruction.
After Ear Reconstruction Surgery
Patients only need Motrin or Tylenol for post-op pain relief. Typically, the reconstructed ear will be swollen and will need to be covered for approximately 7 days with a silicone putty. Patients can often return to work or school within 2 to 3 days but are restricted from contact sports for 3 to 4 weeks.
Follow-up appointments will be scheduled for patients to meet with Dr. Bastidas during their recovery period to ensure proper healing is taking place.
Microtia & Atresia: FAQs
To schedule your consultation with Dr. Bastidas and learn more about ear reconstruction procedures, please call our New York, NY office at (212) 485-0616 or our Long Island office at (516) 497-7900. Virtual options are available for out-of-state and international patients.
Your child can have Dr. Bastidas’ REAL-Ear reconstruction technique as early as 4 years old. Other techniques such as the traditional rib cartilage procedure cannot be performed until your child is 8 to 10 years old.
Dr. Bastidas accepts insurance for both unilateral and bilateral Microtia and Atresia and is in-network with most major insurances. You can also choose to pay out-of-pocket if you are international or non-par with the insurance.
It’s difficult to identify Microtia during an ultrasound and therefore, it is often diagnosed at birth.
Yes – the tissue is cleaned, processed and sterilized before frozen. Cadaveric cartilage does not appear to get rejected or cause any significant immune response. The donors are all thoroughly tested prior to tissue harvesting.
Following treatment, your child can go home that same day from the outpatient surgical center and will only need Tylenol or ibuprofen for pain relief. The ear will be covered with a soft silicone putty for approximately one week, as the ear will be swollen. Many children often return to school within one week.
The procedure typically takes less than 2 hours.
Yes, your child will be able to wear glasses after the necessary amount of recovery time has passed for the ear to fully heal.
Yes – Absolutely. The previously placed implant or rib construct can be removed and a newly sculpted construct using cadaveric rib cartilage can be placed at the same time.
For compassionate, state-of-the-art microtia surgery in New York, call Dr. Nicholas Bastidas.
Schedule an appointment at our New York, NY, office at (212) 485-0616 or our Long Island office at (516) 497-7900