Microtia plastic surgery using a   is also called  . First introduced by Dr. John Reinisch, Medpor is a surgery that uses a foam   ear frame with autologous tissue to shape the ear. The polyethylene frame is sculpted to resemble a healthy ear frame (Figure 1) is implanted in the appropriate position (Figure 2) and then covered by a thin layer of tissue that turns down from the subcutaneous layer (called the temporal flap) and cover with a skin graft taken from patient’s own thigh or abdomen. All of these steps are performed in one operation. Advantages:  Can be done with three-year-olds, before they go to school; For children with hearing loss, surgery to restore the ear canal   can be done before or at the same time with reconstructing the defective ear; Minimizes pain relief while allowing children to go home (outpatient) one hour after surgery; Reconstructive surgery is performed once and in 80% of cases are outpatient; The reconstructed ear is formatted to correspond to the normal ear in size and appearance (Figure 3); The reconstructed ear can withstand most sports. Disadvantages:  The ear frame is the plastic that replaces the body’s tissue; Only a few surgeons are trained in this surgery, an inexperienced ear surgeon with a defective ear will lead to unexpected results. In Vietnam, Dr. Nguyen Hong Ha, after a period of practice under the direct guidance of Dr. John Reinisch and his associates of Faculty of Facial Surgery, Plastic and Aesthetics, successfully performed the first Medpor ear reconstruction in Vietnam at Viet Duc Friendship Hospital. Photographs 2 months after surgery show that the patient has had wonderful reconstructive ears.

(one-time surgery) using  (Medpor method) or using  as performed by Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Hong Ha and colleagues at Vietnam-GermanyFriendship Hospital are requires the use of   to cover the cartilage frame. In order to harvest the shallow temporoparietal fascia tissue flap, attention should be paid to the superficial temporoparietal vascular system and temporoparietal nerve. The temporoparietal vascular system comes out from the upper surface of the parotid gland and goes along with the temporoparietal nerve (see figure 1). The superficial temporal artery originates from the external carotid artery. This artery is often the cause of bleeding during surgery. The superficial veins are outside and often behind the artery. The temporoparietal nerve is parallel to it behind the artery. The temporoparietal nerve receives sensations from the ear canal, the outer ear canal, the eardrum, and the skin of the temporoparietal region. Just in front of the ear, it divides the extremities into the skin of the temporoparietal region (see figure 1). In surgery without endoscope-supported, surgeons make a long incision to open the dissection cavity and observe the flap details with the naked eye. This technique is less precise than endoscopic technique and the risk are cutting to the artery and vein and also the long keloid scare alopecia (Fig. 2) In surgery with supportive endoscopy, a small incision is made to insert the camera endoscope into the dissection cavity. The image inside the dissection cavity sent by the receiver at the end of the scope is enlarged on a large screen for good viewing, so the extraction is performed accurately. Thanks to that, the flap of the temporoparietal connective tissue with the vessels ensures good blood supply and circulation, less damage to the temporoparietal nerve while minimizing incision, scar size and hair loss (Fig 3). # One-stage ear-shaping surgery# Associate Professor Nguyen Hong Ha# Vietnam-Germany Friendship Hospital# open ear-surgery# endoscopic-assisted ear-surg

For patients with congenital microtia , wearing a silicone prosthetic ear offers a major advantage: they can achieve a natural-looking ear without undergoing complex surgery. However, this solution also comes with several challenges: 👉 Aesthetic limitations – The prosthesis may not perfectly match the skin tone, and the implant base can sometimes be visible. While a skilled prosthetist can improve these issues, they are not always completely resolved. 👉 Social discomfort – In certain situations, patients need to remove their prosthetic ear, such as during sports, swimming, gym workouts, or other physical activities. This can cause embarrassment, self-consciousness, and social anxiety . 👉 Lack of naturalness and permanence – Even with modern techniques, a prosthetic ear cannot fully provide the sense of confidence and authenticity that comes with a surgically reconstructed ear made from the patient’s own tissue. Because of these reasons, many patients eventually seek ear reconstruction surgery for a more natural, stable, and lifelong solution. Today, thanks to advances in medical techniques, particularly the one-stage, single-incision endoscopic ear reconstruction performed by Associate Professor Nguyen Hong Ha , patients can achieve an ear that looks natural, symmetrical, and long-lasting—helping them regain confidence in daily life and social interactions. Please send us a message via our website or call our hotline at +84 974.700.600 to book an appointment.

For children born with Aural Atresia —a condition where the ear canal is absent or underdeveloped—hearing loss can make everyday listening a challenge. This is especially true in noisy environments such as classrooms, restaurants, playgrounds, and cars, where background noise makes it hard to identify where sounds are coming from. “Sound localization is essential for safety, communication, and learning,” explains ear specialists. “When one ear is affected, the brain struggles to pinpoint sound direction. Atresia repair can change that.” Atresia repair —also known as canalplasty or atresiaplasty —is a surgical procedure to create or open the ear canal, improving hearing and enabling the brain to localize sound. After surgery, many children find it easier to hear voices in groups, respond when called from a distance, and participate more fully in school and social activities. Some patients choose surgery after outer ear reconstruction, allowing them to wear in-the-ear (ITE) or behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids. Others may have a partially formed canal that simply needs opening to improve hearing. Who is a candidate? Not every child with Atresia can benefit from surgery. A CT scan is used to examine the middle and inner ear and is graded using the Jahrsdoerfer scale (0–10): Children must also have functional middle ear bones and an open oval window to transmit sound to the inner ear. If hearing loss is due to nerve problems (sensorineural loss), Atresia repair will not help, though other options such as cochlear implants may be explored. A decision with lifelong impact Early diagnosis and careful evaluation are key to determining whether a child is a good candidate for Atresia repair. When successful, the surgery not only restores hearing but also enhances communication skills, social confidence, and quality of life. For more information or to schedule a consultation, please drop us an email for further detailed information.

If your baby has Microtia, take care of it as with all other babies, but always watch to see if the baby can hear well because hearing loss often causes hearing reduction or hearing loss. Be like any parent always for their children in similar circumstances. Microtia is not “hopeless”, as it can be “repaired” by the time the child reaches 3 years of age. Drag Drag Children with unilateral hearing disabilities will have problems / difficulties identifying the direction of sound and have difficulty hearing conversations in noisy environments, but the need for hearing aid equipment remains controversial. If your child has Microtia and has binaural hearing loss, it is important to improve your child’s hearing ability with a bone conduction hearing aid machine like the BAHA. It should be fitted before 6 months of age. The sounds that babies hear during their first year of life are very important for language and speech development. Drag Drag When your child is over 3 years old, it is necessary to see an ear specialist to determine the cause of the hearing reduction. If the cause of the hearing reduction is due to the absence of the ear canal or the ear drum, the Medpor method of shaping the outer ear, creating the ear drum and the ear canal will significantly improve hearing for the child. Medpor method can be done for children over 3 years old.

By Ha H. Nguyen, Huyen T. T. Tran, and Hang T. T. Nguyen Department of Maxillofacial - Plastic - Aesthetic Surgery, Viet-Duc University Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam A Single Cut That Changes Lives In the evolving field of reconstructive surgery, cosmetic outcomes matter just as much as functional success—especially for procedures that impact visible areas like the ear. Traditional auricular reconstruction techniques, while effective, often leave behind long scars and areas of hair loss. But what if we told you there's now a minimally invasive alternative? Welcome to the era of single-incision, endoscopic-assisted temporoparietal fascia flap (TPFF) harvesting —a breakthrough that blends surgical precision with aesthetic sensibility. The Challenge of Auricular Reconstruction Auricular reconstruction for conditions like congenital microtia or trauma-related ear loss has long relied on two primary methods: autologous costal cartilage or porous polyethylene (PPE) frameworks. The cartilage option demands multiple stages and is delayed until children reach ages 8–12. PPE frameworks, introduced for younger children by Reinisch in the 1990s, allow earlier intervention but require meticulous soft tissue coverage to avoid complications like framework exposure. Enter the TPFF—an ideal thin and vascular flap used to cover the ear framework. Historically, harvesting this flap meant long, conspicuous scalp incisions that often led to scarring and alopecia. Not anymore. The Breakthrough Approach From 2018 to 2021, our team at Viet-Duc University Hospital treated 60 patients using a novel single-incision technique. We used an endoscope and a single discreet incision hidden along the hairline to harvest TPFFs—entirely avoiding scalp scars. Our key achievements: We successfully reconstructed ears in patients ranging from 3 to 50 years old, with many young children receiving life-changing surgery before even starting school. Why It Works Using a 30° endoscope, we navigated the complex anatomy of the scalp with precision. We carefully preserved vital arteries such as the superficial temporal artery and its branches , ensuring flap viability. In some cases, we even identified additional small arteries previously undetectable by Doppler or CT angiography. This method not only avoids unsightly scars but also reduces intraoperative blood loss, postoperative pain, and recovery time. Surgeons benefit from ergonomic ease and a magnified surgical field, and teaching this technique becomes easier via live video feed. Looking Ahead With this technique, we achieved both reconstructive goals and cosmetic excellence . And with 61 flaps—the largest series of its kind—we’re confident this approach can become the new gold standard for auricular reconstruction. Our heartfelt thanks go to Dr. John Reinisch and Dr. Ken Stewart, pioneers in microtia reconstruction, for their guidance and inspiration. For Patients and Parents If you're a parent of a child with microtia or someone dealing with an ear defect, know that solutions are becoming not just better—but also more beautiful.