Microtia and Atresia Program

What to Expect With Reconstruction Surgery

When using rib cartilage as the main source of tissue, ear reconstruction may be completed in one or two surgeries, approximately three to six months apart. The first surgery is longer and requires hospitalization. The ENT and general surgeon work side-by-side in the operating room to:

• Harvest rib cartilage through a small chest incision
• Sculpt the cartilage into similar shape and size as the opposite ear
• Remove the existing ear cartilage and replace it with the new, sculpted cartilage

Patients will usually stay in the hospital for one to two days following surgery and will go home with a large, bulky dressing that will stay on until the follow up visit – typically one week later. Children usually return to school a week after surgery, and physical activities and water exposure may resume after four to six weeks.

After the first surgery, the ear will have a good shape, but it may appear too close to the head. After the swelling goes down, a second surgery is planned to make the ear “stick out” and look more natural. A very thin slice of skin from the scalp area behind the ear is then grafted on the back part of the ear. Surgery and recovery time are much shorter compared to the first stage.