As the parent of a child with microtia, you may be considering a number of different options going forward with regards to treatment for your child. Of course there is always the option to do nothing with your child’s little ear. Promoting self-confidence and acceptance is a wonderful thing! It can be empowering to a child to instil self-love and appreciation of how their little ear makes them unique. However for those who struggle with confidence, aesthetic reconstruction options may be considered. One of these options may be reconstructive surgery, however this cannot be conducted until your child is older, and requires a number of invasive surgeries, including rib harvest. All of these surgeries come with their risks, and are at ultimate risk of failure at the end of them. A realistic silicone prosthesis is a non invasive alternative to surgery, and is an option often taken by parents who wish to offer their child an aesthetic option before any surgery is possible, or as an alternative to surgery altogether.
Why prosthesis instead of surgery?
Whilst reconstructive surgery provides a patient with something that is a ‘part of them’ and is made from their own tissues, ear reconstructive surgery as a form of microtia treatment unfortunately often falls short of expectations with regards to aesthetic outcomes. The results are unpredictable, limited by a surgeon’s skill, as well as other factors such as an individual’s healing, and whether or not the structure contracts or is resorbed altogether. In addition to this, it requires multiple operations including rib harvesting, which can be long-winded, painful and additionally produced scarring and loss of tissue at the donor site. Whilst other types of implantable materials may also be used or developed, and 3D printing may play a role in mirroring the contralateral ear in the future, risks and outcomes are still uncertain. Prosthetic rehabilitation as a for of ear reconstruction offers a pain-free, non-invasive and customisable experience. Contralateral ears can be matched very well, custom colours mixed and blended into surrounding skin, and the prosthesis is removable. Deigns can be adjusted until you and your child are happy with how the ear(s) look(s), and can be remade exactly the same time and time again and/or adjusted and altered as the child grows or if they change their mind about elements of the design next time around.
Are any additional surgeries required to prepare for prostheses?
None at all! A prosthetic ear can be a form of microtia treatment that’s not permanent and won’t leave permanent scarring. A benefit of prosthetic rehabilitation is that it is reversible and completely painless. It does not require any additional procedures to remove any existing ear remnants, as the design and positioning of prostheses can be discussed and adapted around them on clinic during the manufacturing process.
How are the prostheses held in place?
Because the design of the prostheses is adapted to the child’s microtia presentation, they can be held on using prosthesis adhesive. These adhesives are specially developed to hold all day, but can be removed easily and cleaned. It gives the option for your child to remove the prosthesis at home or anywhere they feel safe and comfortable, and only wear the prosthesis as and when they feel like it.
If when your child is older, is happy with prosthesis as their permanent reconstructive option, but wishes to have a more sturdy method of retention, they can be referred for implants to be placed. This will allow the ear to be held in place by strong magnets or a bar and clip attachment. These modes of retention still allow the prosthesis to be easily taken on and off, but offer additional security compared to adhesives, and are much cleaner and easier to manage.
What about hearing aids and earrings?
Bone-anchored hearing aids, bone bridges and in-ear hearing aids can be accommodated. We can design the prostheses so that they are not interfered with, and so that they can still function as usual. When it comes to earrings, the prosthesis can be pierced wherever the earring is to be placed, no problem!
How is the optimal look achieved?
We pride ourselves of providing the highest possible quality, with a natural look and custom design. A prsothetic ear is made from high strength medical silicone and can be made soft or hard depending on preference, and physical requirements of the prosthesis. In unilateral microtia cases, we can copy the contralateral ear to perfectly match the other side. This is done using a combination of impressions, measurement and digital scanning to produce an optimal outcome. For bilateral mictrotia cases, we can design the ears from scratch and come up with sculpts that compliment their proportions, or else we can copy a family member’s ears. The manufacture of prototypes can include a combination of conventional handcrafting, digital design and 3D printing techniques. Custom colours are mixed into the silicone to match your child’s skin tone as closely as possible. Following this, at the fit appointment the finished prosthesis is hand-painted to blend it into its surroundings. Prostheses are finished with the featheredge so that they can be easily blended into the skin.
You can learn more about the steps involved by look at our services page at seeprothetics.co.uk/services, or at our previous blog posts titled An overview of our silicone prostheses-Facial, body and breast and “Frequently asked questions about prosthetic ears”.
Contact S.E.E. Prosthetics today for your child’s initial consultation by emailing seeprosthetics@outlook.com, or by Whatsapp on +447889831543. We will be happy to hear from you and answer any questions you may have!
