Autologous Ear Reconstruction
The autologous ear reconstruction service provides support, assessment and surgery for adults and children who require ear reconstruction using cartilage. The cause may be congenital, such as microtia (deformity of the elastic cartilage of the outer ear) or acquired e.g. deformity resulting from trauma, infection or skin cancer.
With microtia the inner ear may be normal. This allows hearing to be salvaged using bone-anchored hearing aids. Autologous ear reconstruction or prosthetic ears may then be used, to give a cosmetically acceptable outcome.
Ear reconstruction is an extended procedure rather than a single event. It can be partitioned into phases of management (assessment, surgery, and rehabilitation support).
Each ear reconstruction typically requires two surgical procedures although third procedures may be required for minor revisions of shape or modification of the shape with growth.
The service provides detailed assessment and the comprehensive package of surgical reconstruction and surgical follow up care required through a multidisciplinary team approach.
Although the service assesses all referrals, patients deemed more suited to prosthetic reconstruction will be re-referred to local surgeons and prosthetic teams for such intervention. The Lothian team will obviously offer such reconstructions for local patients.
Annual Report
The most recent annual report for the service is available below:
Autologous Ear Reconstruction Annual Report 2009/10 [10 pages, 417Kb]
Lead clinician:
Mr Ken Stewart (Consultant Paediatric Plastic Surgeon)
Service contact address:
Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh
9 Sciennes Road
Edinburgh
EH9 1LF
National Services Division contacts:
To contact members of NSD staff, please visit our staff contacts page.
Catriona Johnson, Programme Manager
Louise Wilson, Assistant Programme Manager
Hannah Cornish, Programme Support Officer
