The ear is made up of intricately folded cartilage covered by a thin skin. It is a delicate structure whose main components are hard to replicate. The absence, loss or deformation of an ear can cause psychological distress leading to emotional educational and occupational difficulties.
With the advancement of modern surgical techniques, patients requiring ear reconstruction, or any other corrective ear surgery, can now expect good outcomes, with aesthetically satisfying results. As with all surgery, however, there are no guarantees of success, and patients are advised to consult NHS ear specialists via the national centres of excellence when thinking about ear surgery of any kind.
The goal of corrective ear surgery is to restore balance to the face and shift unwanted attention away from prominent or misshapen ears. With fears about teasing at school, parents are often keen to have their children’s ears operated on at an early age. However, a child’s opinion, consent and cooperation are essential to a successful and satisfying cosmetic outcome. For this reason, many surgeons prefer to wait until a child is older to perform ear surgery.
2. What conditions might affect a patient in this area?
Conditions that affect people’s ears can be divided into two areas: congenital, meaning those conditions that people are born with, and ‘acquired’, meaning those that develop later in life due to accident or infection.
The main congenital conditions that affect people’s ears are:
Microtia, translated from the Greek, means ‘little ear’, and is the medical word used to describe a small or absent ear in newborn babies. Affecting one in 6,000 live births worldwide, microtia can appear in isolation or as a feature of other syndromes, such as hemifacial microsomia or Treacher-Collins syndrome.
Microtia usually affects one ear only (unilateral microtia), although in 10% of cases both ears are involved (bilateral microtia). The root cause of the problem is thought to relate to an interruption of the blood supply to the affected area about eight weeks after a baby’s conception. Hearing is often impaired on the affected side due to the ear canal being underdeveloped, although a hearing aid is only usually needed in cases of bilateral microtia.
What surgery is available, and what techniques are involved?
There are three main reconstructive options available to patients with microtia. The first is autologous ear reconstruction, which means reconstruction using the patient’s own tissue. The second option involves utilising a prosthetic framework covered or buried under the patient’s own skin. The third option is to use an external prosthesis crafted to match the opposite ear and fitted to the side of the head.
1. Autologous reconstruction
The gold standard technique for autologous ear reconstruction is a rib cartilage graft; a surgical intervention that is usually carried out in two or three stages. The first stage of surgery is conducted when a child is between the ages of eight and ten, when there is sufficient volume of cartilage in the chest area. With the patient under general anaesthetic, rib cartilage is harvested via a small incision at the side of the chest in an operation lasting between five to six hours.
Once removed, the pieces of cartilage are then carved and joined together to create a framework replicating a new ear. Based on a map of the patient’s other ear the framework is as close as possible to a mirror image of the opposite ear. Once complete, the new ear structure is buried under the skin at the side of the head. Occasionally if the skin is scarred or the hairline is very low the ear maybe covered by a flap of fascia from under the scalp and a split skin graft. (A flap is a piece of living tissue that is transferred from one part of the body to another, along with the blood vessels that keeps it alive.)
Patients and families should note that in the past surgeons have attempted to use cartilage from mothers and from human donors. The cartilage gradually disappeared and the results were poor. More recently scientists have created ears made of engineered cartilage in laboratory mice. Although promising this technology does not work in humans as the cartilage is too soft.
The newly constructed ear initially lies flush against the patient’s head. Six months later at the second stage the ear is lifted to achieve a normal projection. This procedure takes from 3 to 5 hours and involves inserting a wedge of cartilage behind the ear with fascial flaps and skin grafts used to cover the exposed surfaces.
Sometimes a third operation is required to refine the results or to perform additional procedures such as piercing the lobe or correcting prominence of the opposite ear. Occasionally a course of laser treatment maybe required if there are a few hairs growing on the ear.
What should I expect as a patient?
Patients undergoing the first stage of autologous ear reconstruction will need to be kept in hospital for four to seven days. Very small suction drains left in at the time of surgery and are used to suck the skin onto the new ear. These are removed after four or five days. Skin stitches are removed after a week.
It takes several months for the swelling to settle but the shape of the new ear will be apparent to all at an early stage. A week after the second operation, the skin graft will need to be checked. Patients should avoid all sporting activity for three months, but should rest assured that long-term satisfactory outcomes can be expected following autologous ear reconstruction.
Patients also have the choice of prosthetic ear reconstruction. Rather than using cartilage fro the chest some surgeons utilise frameworks made of hard porous plastic material or even silicone. This is buried under the skin or a fascial flap and skin graft in much the same way as the cartilage framework. The reconstruction can be completed in one stage.
3. External prosthesis
The final option is to wear an external prosthesis on top of the skin. A skilled prosthetist can create a very realistic ear using silicone. Pigments are used to give a realistic skin colouration. Patients may even be provided with a false ear for the summer and one for the winter. These external prosthesis maybe secured with special glue or alternatively, patients can opt for a more permanent bone-anchored prosthesis. This type of false ear is secured via two or three small titanium implants which are embedded into the bone at the side of the head over the course of two operations
What should I expect as a patient?
Of the reconstructive surgical options, autogenous reconstruction is widely regarded as the gold standard. Since the patient’s own tissue is used the new reconstructed ear is very much part of them. It is robust and will heal if injured and there is minimal chance of infection or ulceration in later life. Ear reconstruction using rib is however regarded as a highly skilled procedure and patients are advised only to have this surgery in a centre of excellence.
The main advantage of ear reconstruction using a buried plastic or silicone prosthesis is that there is no chest donor site. Thus one avoids a cut on the chest and the use of rib cartilage. This also means that the surgery can be performed at a younger age. However the long term risk of the plastic ulcerating though the skin makes this technique less popular worldwide. In a large series of such operations from China 13.5% of patients had problems with extrusion of the plastic through the skin. If the plastic becomes exposed it is likely to become infected and becomes a difficult problem. The use of an exernal prosthetic ear is relatively safe although the small titanium anchors can become infected. There can be difficulties finding a good skin-colour match and patients often report a sense of being incomplete arising from the daily removal of a false ear. Significant psychological adjustments are often required as patients incorporate the prosthesis into their lives.
4. Prominent ears
The ears are one of the first parts of the body to reach adult size. When the ear projects excessively it can be regarded as prominent. Around 2% of the population feel that their ears stick out too far. The problem is often inherited, and is caused by a lack of the usual cartilage folds in the ear.
In prominent ears the usual folds of cartilage that give the ear its shape are missing or underdeveloped. Prominent ear correction (otoplasty) recreates these folds in order to pin the ear back.
Most cases of prominent ears, become a problem in early childhood, often relating to teasing at school. Most surgeons advise that surgery for prominent ears is not undertaken until the child is old enough to understand what the surgery involves. At this stage the child is more likely to be cooperative and happy with the outcome. In addition one must consider that not all adults with prominent ears wish them to be corrected. Therefore if one operates on children prior to the acquisition of understanding a proportion will have been subjected to unnecessary surgery. For this reason, and because ear cartilage is often soft in the early years, operations for prominent ears are rarely performed on children under the age of five.
5. Cryptotia
Cryptotia means ‘buried ear’. This is a relatively rare deformation in which the groove behind the ear is not fully formed. This is aesthetically displeasing and can cause difficulties in wearing glasses. This condition can occasionally be corrected using splints but more commonly is corrected surgically around the age of 5.
6. Other ear deformations
A variety of other ear deformations such as ‘Stahls’ bar and constricted ears are well recognise entities which maybe corrected by splinatge otoplasty or ear reconstruction.
What surgery is available, and what techniques are involved?
The cartilage in a baby’s ear is very soft and malleable, and can be moulded with the use of splints if prominent ears are obvious from birth. Splints are fitted into the outer groove (scaphoid fossa) of the ear and fixed by strips of tape, with the ear then taped to the side of the head using a broad strip of tape. The pressure of the splint corrects the tendency of the ear to stick out, while maintaining the proper contours of the ear. To be effective, splints can be required for as little as two weeks in newborn babies, or for up to four months in babies aged six months or over. However, parents should be careful with babies over the age of three months, as the splints themselves can present a choking hazard.
What should I expect as a patient?
Splintage is a simple, safe and non-invasive procedure for the correction of prominent ears. However, there is only a limited window of time in which splints can be effectively applied. The decision to use splints is an aesthetic decision that ultimately rests with parents.
2. Otoplasty
Otoplasty is the term used to describe the surgical correction of prominent ears. Most surgeons recommend that this operation in not carried out until a child’s ears are fully grown, which is usually around the age of eight. Some doctors will argue that the child should be left to decide for themselve. There is no right or wrong answer to this issue each child should be treated individually.
The surgery involves a general anaesthetic for children, although adults may be operated on under local anaesthetic only. During the operation, a cut is made behind the ear close to the groove between the ear and the side of the head. This incision exposes the cartilage, the ear maybe set back by scoring the front surface to weaken the cartilage, removing a small piece of the cartilage bowl (concha) or by inserting some stitches at the back of the ear to reshape or to rotate it closer to the head. Once this is done, the skin is closed with a stitch and a protective bandage or head garment is usually applied.
What should I expect as a patient?
Many centres will perform the procedure as a day case without the need for an overnight stay in hospital. If surgery is late afternoon or evening a one night stay is reasonable. Bandages are not always necessary although many surgeons use them to provide a little protection. Depending on the patients age they maybe removed between one and 7 days later. After seven-to-ten days the stitches at the back of the ear are removed if necessary. Some surgeons advise the use of a headband at night and while playing sport for six weeks. Young patients can return to school after a week, and can resume all normal physical activities after six weeks. They will usually have follow-up appointments at one week and about three months after the operation. There will be some discomfort following an octoplasty, and in some cases, patients may experience bleeding, bruising, infection and scarring. Very occasionally a corrected ear may drift back out, requiring a second operation. However, the operation is usually very successful, with 90-95% of patients happy with the outcome.
The loss or damage of ears through trauma is now more common in UK than ever before and sadly more common than in any other country. Most ear-trauma injuries are caused by biting, but some are also due to sharp lacerations. Attempts to replant ears in an emergency environment often yield poor results. Following a surgical ‘tidy up’, the damaged area is left to heal, and is then reconstructed using the same surgical methods described above for the treatment of microtia.
Acute swelling of the ear following trauma is usually due to a collection of blood clot (haematoma) under the skin. This should be dealt with as an emergency by surgical drainage through a small skin incision. In neglected cases the blood can become scarred and calcified leading to a thickened so called ‘cauliflower ear’. Such deformity is common in boxers and rugby players Surgeons usually recommend that patients finish their sporting careers before seeking treatment. Treatment usually requireselevating the skin from the front of the ear and thinning the calcified thickened tissue to recreate the ear shape. A compressive dressing is applied.
Infections of the ear, often relating to piercings, are treated on a case-by-case basis. Unfortunately piercing of the cartilaginous part of the ear can result in late infection and loss of ear structure. This may then necessitate ear reconstruction with rib cartilage.
Skin cancer of the ear is usually treated by surgical excision and reconstruction, as described in the head and neck cancer section of this website.
8. Is ear surgery available on the NHS?
All interventions and procedures outlined in this section, both surgical and non-surgical, are usually available on the NHS – particularly where children are concerned. The correction of prominent ears in adults may need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
9. Where should I go for further information or support?
Conditions that develop later in life due to accident or infection.
Lazy eye.
A preinvasive cancer involving the surface layer of the anus.
Before birth.
Rare and dangerous lesions that occur in the scalp, head and neck region. Often triggered by puberty, there is often a visible swelling in the skin which is blue in colour.
This is surgery to fuse a joint.
The procedure whereby liquid contents of a swelling can be removed with a needle.
Reconstruction of the ear using the patient’s own tissue.
This is the most common form of skin cancer. It grows locally and does not spread elsewhere in the body. It is usually cured by simple removal.
A colloquial term for prominent ears.
A condition caused by infection of by a reduced blood supply to the facial nerve.
A benign condition is one that is not usually serious or harmful.
When clefts occur on both sides of the mouth.
Microtia affecting both ears.
A biopsy is a medical test involving the removal of cells or tissues for examination.
A new surgical technique often used in the treatment of hemifacial microsomia. Developed from limb lengthening operations first described in Russia, this technique is based on the principle of pushing small pins into bone, and moving these pins apart by a connecting bar which incorporates a screw thread. As the pins are gradually stretched apart, the bone and surrounding soft tissue is also stretched.
The group of nerves located behind the collar bone which control feeling and movements in the arm.
An artificial implant that is under the skin.
The smallest blood vessels in the deep layer of skin.
Another term for a haemangioma or strawberry mark.
A condition caused by mechanical interference with the median nerve in the wrist. This large nerve provides feeling to the thumb, index and middle fingers and half of the ring finger. It also provides power to the small muscles at the base of the thumb. The median nerve enters the hand from the forearm, passing beneath a tough ligament (known as the carpal ligament) that runs across the wrist. This nerve can become squeezed, either because the contents of the tunnel beneath the ligament swell, or because the size of the tunnel decreases. This squeezing of the nerve causes tingling in the fingers, often accompanied by numbness. These sensations are usually worse at night, and often wake a patient from sleep. Pain can occur later on in the condition and can be felt in the hand, forearm or even in the upper arm and shoulder.
An acquired shriveling of the outer ear common in boxers and rugby players.
Another term for a haemangioma or strawberry mark.
Abnormal cells in the cervix that only involve the surface layer of the cervix.
The neck of the uterus or womb.
Saromas arising from cartilage
Split or separation.
Where the lip components fail to fuse and are split or separated.
A specialist nurse that works as part of the cleft lip and palate team.
Where the palate is split or separated. This occurs
when the main components of the palate – the two palatal shelves in the roof of the mouth – fail to fuse properly.
A clinical expert in the delivery of evidence-based nursing interventions usually in one specific area of clinical practice.
Medical practitioner who specialises in cancer and its treatment.
Nose reshaping operation carried out from inside the nostrils.
The central piece at the bottom of the nose that divides the nostrils.
A whole side-cleft running up to the nose from the lip.
A complete cleft of the palate extends to the hard palate, the bony part at the front of the mouth.
A graft consisting of skin and other underlying tissues such as fat and cartilage.
The cartilage bowl of the ear.
Conditions present at birth.
A congenital condition in which the ear takes on a cup shape due to shortening of the outer circumference of the ear.
A situation where tissues or scars shorten and cause deformity.
A bone distraction procedure whereby a cut is made in the bone which is to be stretched. Pins are passed through the skin and into the bone on either side of the cut. These pins are then connected together by a distractor. In most cases, the distractor is opened by approximately one to two millimetres each day through the turning of a small screw. An average distraction length is likely to be in the region of two to two and half centimetres, which will probably take about three weeks to achieve. At the end of the period of distraction, the distractor is left in position for six to eight weeks while new bone fills the gaps which have been created. A second small operation is then required to remove the distractor.
Is the term used to describe a number of conditions which, like craniosynostosis, involve the overgrowth and undergrowth of the structures of the head and face.
A condition caused by the premature closure of the gaps between the bones of the cranium.
Cryptotia means ‘buried ear’. This is a relatively rare deformation in
which the groove behind the ear is not fully formed. This is aesthetically displeasing and can cause difficulties in wearing glasses. This condition can occasionally be corrected using splints but more commonly is corrected surgically around the age of 5.
A colloquial term for constricted ears.
Cysts associated with the skin are very common. They appear as rubbery or firm lumps just beneath the skin and attached to it. Often a tendency to get cysts is inherited. If they grow large they can become unsightly, they can become infected.
Concerning the act of defaecation.
Flat head syndrome in newborn babies. This is asymmetry in a baby’s head caused by the positioning of the head during extended time spent in a neonatal unit, the birth process, the position in the womb, and most often, the infant's preferred sleeping position.
Deep layer of skin.
A healthy part of the body where skin is removed as part of a skin graft or flap procedure.
Bridge of the nose.
This affects the layer of gristle which lies beneath the skin on the palm of the hand, fastening the skin to bone, enabling us to clutch and grip. The disease first makes its appearance as a small lump in the pit of the palm. Over time, this lump may form a cord of tissue that runs from the palm to the finger. After a while, this cord begins to shrink, drawing the finger into a clawed position.
A treatment for arteriovenous malformations (AVM) with onyx. Designed to stop the blood-flow to the lesions.
A cut made in the posterior wall of the vagina during childbirth.
Surgical removal.
An operation to remove a diseased part of the body.
A balloon-like device inserted under the skin near the area to be repaired, which is then gradually filled with salt water, causing the skin to stretch and grow.
A procedure whereby the face is deliberately split vertically along the line of the nasal bridge during monobloc advancement, in order to bring the eyes closer together, expand the upper jaw and rotate the two halves of the face into a more normal position.
This refers to a paralysis of part of the face caused by a dysfunction of the facial nerve. The facial nerve controls the facial muscles, especially those around the eyes and mouth – for example, the muscles that lift the eyebrows, close the eyelids and raise the corners of the mouth to shape a smile. It is in these areas that patients with facial palsy most commonly experience problems.
When developing tissues fail to join up properly.
Between the tissues of the body are layers of connective tissue that separate them. These layers are known as fascia.
A flap including the fascia along with its blood supply.
Transfer of a living piece of tissue from one part of the body to another, along with the blood vessels that keep it alive. Unlike a skin graft, flaps carry with them their own blood supply. Flap surgery can restore form and function to areas of the body that have lost skin, fat, muscle movement, and/or skeletal support.
Flap reconstruction involves the transfer of a living piece of tissue from one part of the body to another, along with the blood vessel that keeps it alive. Unlike a skin graft, flaps carry with them their own blood supply. Flap surgery can restore form and function to areas of the body that have lost skin, fat, muscle movement, and/or skeletal support. There are two main types of flap. These are local flap and regional flap.
Flap reconstruction involves the transfer of a living piece of tissue from one part of the body to another, along with the blood vessel that keeps it alive. Unlike a skin graft, flaps carry with them their own blood supply. Flap surgery can restore form and function to areas of the body that have lost skin, fat, muscle movement, and/or skeletal support. There are two main types of flap. These are local flap and regional flap.
Asymmetry in a baby’s caused by the positioning of the baby’s head during extended time spent in a neonatal unit, the birth process, the position in the womb, and most often, the infant's preferred sleeping position.
Free flap reconstruction involves the transfer of living tissue from one part of the body to another, along with the blood vessels that keep it alive. Unlike other flap transfers, free flaps are entirely disconnected from their original blood supply and are reconnected using microsurgery in the recipient site. This procedure involves hooking up the tiny blood vessels of the flap with those in the new site, and is carried out with use of an operating microscope.
A graft consisting of all layers of the skin.
Ganglions are the most common type of swelling in the hand. They contain a thick clear liquid called synovial fluid. Although ganglions can arise from any joint or tendon tunnel, there are four common locations in the hand and wrist - in the middle of the back of the wrist; on the front of the wrist at the base of the thumb; at the base of a finger, and on the back of a finger end-joint. Ganglions occur when synovial fluid leaks out of a joint or tendon tunnel and forms a swelling under the skin, although the cause of these leaks is not known. In some cases ganglions are painful, in others they are not.
A clinical geneticist arranges tests and advises patients and families who suffer from inherited conditions.
The term used to describe any surgery to the chin which does not involve the tooth-bearing part of the lower jaw. These procedures may be used to move the chin forwards, backwards, upwards or downwards, and are usually done via an incision made inside the mouth where the lower lip joins the lower gum. The bone of the chin is cut horizontally below the level of the tooth roots, and is then moved into its new position and fixed there with wires or titanium screws. These remain in place and do not need to be removed. The incision is then closed with dissolving stitches.
The lower urinary and reproductive tract.
A drug used to treat GIST sarcomas.
A skin graft involves taking a healthy patch of skin
from one area of the body, known as the donor site, and using it to cover another area where skin is missing or damaged. The piece of skin that is moved is entirely disconnected, and requires blood vessels to grow into it when placed in the recipient site.
Concerning cancers arising from the female genital tract.
Medical practitioner who deals with
the health of the female reproductive system.
A benign overgrowth of blood vessels on the skin that appears as a soft, raised swelling. They are typically crimson red in colour with a slightly dimpled surface. They appear just after birth, largely around the head and neck but can appear anywhere on the body. Colloquially known as strawberry marks or birthmarks and medically also referred to as strawberry naevi, strawberry haemangiomas, capillary haemangiomas and cavernous haemangiomas.
Major injuries that have been sustained to the hand. This could range from burns and skin loss to loss of digits.
Bony palate at the front of the month.
A congenital condition involving underdevelopment of the face.
The human papilloma virus.
Defect of the urethra in baby boys.
Slight notch in the lip.
This involves either realignment of bones or ligament reconstruction using a tendon; suitable only for a minority of patients who have an unstable joint but little damage to the surfaces of the joints.
The external lips of the vagina.
The outer lips of the vagina.
The inner lips of the vagina.
A surgical procedure to reshape the inner lips of the vagina.
Operations to move the facial bones forward.
Sarcomas that grow out of smooth muscle.
A lesion is a medical name for a skin blemish of some sort. Skin lesions include moles, warts, cysts and lipomas.
A muscle in the middle of the eyelid.
Lipomas are fatty lumps under the skin. They usually grow slowly as painless swellings.
Uses a piece of skin and underlying tissue that lie near to the wound. The flap remains attached at one end so that it continues to be nourished by its original blood supply and is repositioned over the wounded area.
Local removal of a lesion with a cuff of normal tissue.
A colloquial term for constricted ears.
A clear fluid carried through a network of channels in the body known as the lymphatic system.
These are organs consisting of many types of cells, and are
part of the lymphatic system. Lymph nodes are found all through the body, and act as filters or traps for foreign particles. They contain white blood cells and are important in the proper functioning of the immune system.
A vascular malformation. These involve the lymph system and are present at birth or develop up until the age of two. The do not shrink or fade. They vary from small blister-like marks on the skin to large swellings in the neck, limbs or face.
A network of channels in the body that carry a clear fluid
called lymph.
Melanoma is the type of cancer that arises in pigment cells
within the skin. It is less common than the other sorts, but can be more serious. The majority of patients are still cured by simple removal, but melanoma can come back after removal and spread elsewhere in the body. Over the past few decades, the incidence of melanoma has risen steadily throughout the world.
Facial surgery to correct abnormalities of the jaw.
Medical practitioner who specialises in cancer and its treatment.
Surgery carried out with use of a microscope.
Surgery carried out with use of a microscope.
Translated from the Greek, means ‘little ear’. It is the medical word used to describe a small or absent ear in newborn babies.
A technique to remove a skin cancer with a narrow margin.
The edges are then mapped and carefully checked to ensure complete removal of the tumour. If the excision is incomplete the involved margin is re-excised. This process is repeated until the excision is confirmed to be complete at all the edges.
A mole is a clump of pigment cells in the skin. Moles usually appear as flat brown marks during childhood and early adult life. They gradually change as time goes by often becoming more raised and paler, some go away completely. Moles assume a wide variety of sizes and appearances, some grow hair, and some are rough on the surface.
A LeFort III type osteotomy which extends into the skull to move the forehead region forward at the same time.
The mound anterior to the vagina.
This is a team made up of specialists working together to make sure that the best possible treatment is given
The medical name for capillary malformations.
Basal cell cancer and squamous cell
cancer are two types of non-melanoma skin cancer.
The cartilage that makes up the tip-support to the nose needs to be partly removed or reshaped. This is done through the nostril, or by making a small cut in the bit (columella) between the nostrils.
A dental specialist that treats dental displacement or facial growth abnormalities on an aesthetic or reconstructive basis.
Surgeons that carry out procedures concerning the musculoskeletal system.
This is the degeneration of a joint through wear and tear. It can cause aching, especially between thumb and the side of the index finger. The pain may lead to a sense of weakness when you pinch or grip. The base of the thumb may become swollen and may crunch audibly during certain movements. It may also become misshapen. It is this pain and disability that often encourages people to seek surgical interventions.
Sarcomas arising from bone.
Is the term used to describe the surgical correction of prominent
ears.
A surgeon who diagnoses and treats conditions affecting the urinary tract and genital tract in children.
A medical specialist that
deals with the illnesses and treatment of infants, children and adolescents.
The two parts of the roof of the mouth that form the palate.
When the cleft is partial, it affects only the soft palate
at the back of the mouth.
Medical practitioner who diagnoses
diseases via tissue or cell samples or via autopsy.
That portion of the external pelvic organs that includes the urinary tract, the genital tract and anus.
A professional who treats and manages patient with
musculoskeletal problems using exercises and other forms of physical therapy.
The colloquial name for capillary malformations.
Surgical procedure whereby the vagina is separated from the rectum and the muscles pulled together to tighten the vaginal structures.
These affect people who are immobilised through sickness or disability. The sores themselves occur when skin overlying a bony prominence breaks down following prolonged contact with a surface, such as a mattress or a wheelchair seat.
A sarcoma affecting bone.
The problem is often inherited, and is caused by a lack of the usual
cartilage folds in the ear.
Shaping and fitting a false ear to the side of the head.
Someone who fits a prosthesis.
Professionals who are
concerned using psychological findings to help people live healthy and productive lives and resolve mental health problems.
Medical practitioner who uses radiation to treat disease, usually cancer.
Radiation treatment used to treat disease, usually Cancer.
An area of the body where skin is missing or damaged and to where tissue is transferred.
The lower part of the large bowel above the anus.
Uses a section of tissue that is attached by a specific blood vessel. When the flap is lifted, it needs only a very narrow attachment to the original site to receive its nourishing blood supply from the artery and vein.
Nose reshaping.
An acquired condition characterised by the deterioration of the skin and soft tissue of one half of the face (usually the left side). More common in females than males, this deterioration causes initial changes in the tissues above the upper jaw, or between the nose and the upper corner of the lip. It then progresses to the mouth, the area surrounding the eye, the brow, the ear and the neck. It may also affect the tongue, the soft palate, and the gums. The eye and cheek of the affected side may become sunken, and facial hair may turn white and fall out.
A cancer of the body’s connective tissues, such as bone, muscle, cartilage and fat.
The outer groove of the ear.
The central structure of the nose.
A skin graft involves taking a healthy patch of skin from one area of the body, known as the donor site, and using it to cover another area where skin is missing or damaged. The piece of skin that is moved is entirely disconnected, and requires blood vessels to grow into it when placed in the recipient site.
The soft, flexible portion of the Palate at the back of the mouth that is concerned with speech.
The role of a speech and language therapist is to assess and treat speech, language and communication problems in people of all ages to enable them to communicate to the best of their ability.
A muscular constriction at the entrance or exit to a cavity or body organ.
The use of splints or other external devices to correct deformity, maintain position and support structures.
A graft that uses only the layers of skin closest to the surface.
A bar of cartilage in the upper part of the ear causing an extra crease.
Another term for a haemangioma or strawberry mark.
Another term for a haemangioma or strawberry mark.
A thick, clear liquid that lubricates a joint or tendon. This fluid accumulates within a ganglion.
Where muscle is moved from the temple to the eyelids to restore strength is area and counter the effects of paralysis.
The major bone in the lower leg.
Tissue expansion is a procedure that enables the body to ‘grow’ extra skin by stretching surrounding tissue. A balloon-like device called an expander is inserted under the skin near the area to be repaired, and is then gradually filled with salt water, causing the skin to stretch and grow.
This involves the transfer of digits from the foot to the
hand undertaken with use of a microscope. The absence of a finger does not usually have much effect on either the function or the appearance of the hand, but when the missing digit is a thumb, or when many digits are missing, surgery may be needed.
A tough ligament that runs across the wrist.
This involves the complete removal of the trapezium bone; recommended if the joint above or below this bone are affected by arthritis. Some surgeons fill the gap left by the bone, or the deficit with adjacent tissue.
This is performed if there are concerns that the thumb appears too slack to sit securely in the new joint created by the removal of the bone.
The main joint at the base of the thumb. This joint carries a lot of force when the thumb is used, yet allows for a complex range of movements, including rotation.
Trauma refers to any serious, body-altering injury sustained through accident or impact. Trauma injuries vary in type and severity, but most commonly involve burns, lacerations, fractures and crush. Plastic surgeons have always been involved in the treatment of trauma.
An inherited congenital condition with a genetic cause. It
affects both sides of the face and is associated with alteration of the position of the eyes, deafness, underdeveloped low-set ears, and underdevelopment of the mid and lower face.
Microtia affecting one ear.
This refers to all structures from the fingertips to the neck, and also encompasses the group of nerves located behind the collar bone which control feeling in the arm.
The tube through which urine is passed.
‘Pee-hole’
Constriction or blockage of the vagina.
These cover a broad spectrum of skin lesions present at birth of shortly after birth.
One of the types of vascular anomalies. They are present at birth. They grow proportionately to a baby and are classified according to the dominant blood vessel type they contain.
The external female genitalia.
Changes that can occur in the skin that covers the vulva. If left untreated, it can develop into vulval cancer.
A wart is a rough patch of skin. The most common type is caused by a wart virus infection. There other types of wart with other causes.
This means not only removing a tumour but cutting out a fair amount of surrounding tissue also.
Procedure whereby the wound is cleared of dead or damaged soft tissue and bone.
A procedure to convert a straight incision or scar into a zigzag. This is used throughout plastic surgery in a number of situations such as to release a contracture, reposition features, deepen a web, and improve the appearance of a scar.
