Abstract
Congenital ear anomalies are associated with psychological morbidity. Ear deformities
can usually be corrected by nonsurgical techniques such as splinting or molding in
the neonatal period, initiated before 6 weeks. Without early corrections, many will
require otoplasty during childhood. We introduce a novel silicone-based custom mold
technique for congenital ear anomalies. The highly malleable silicone was pushed into
every part of the auricle, enabling the auricle to remain in the desired shape, with
new molds made weekly. Of 31 newborns (18 males, 13 females), 54 ears were treated.
Average age at treatment initiation was 26.8 days. The mean treatment duration was
43.2 days, with a median of 28 days. Normal appearance and parent's satisfaction were
achieved in 30 patients with 49 deformed ears and also in four newborns older than
6 weeks. Three concha type microtia in two patients achieved great improvements and
parents' satisfaction. No complications were reported. Marked aesthetic improvements
and normal appearance were achieved for all deformed auricles treated, and improvements
in the concha type microtia will partially alleviate future surgical corrections.
The results are not inferior to other techniques. The advantages are as follows: cost-effective,
time-saving, simple to master, no need for hair shaving, and easy use for parents.
Patients older than 6 weeks of age achieved normal auricle appearance, enabling the
correction in older newborns. Custom made silicone auricle molding offers a simple
nonsurgical technique for correcting congenital ear anomalies, alleviating the need
for future surgical corrections.
Keywords
Otoplasty - Nonsurgical ear mold - Auricular deformity - Pediatric Plastic Surgery
