A Game-Changer in Pediatric Ear Reconstruction Microtia—congenital underdevelopment or absence of the external ear—presents one of the most intricate challenges in plastic surgery. Traditional multi-stage reconstructions using autologous rib cartilage often require waiting until the child is 8–12 years old. But now, a revolutionary one-step technique is changing the game. At Viet Duc University Hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam, surgeons are successfully reconstructing ears in children as young as 3 years old— using a single-stage surgery with endoscopic-assisted harvesting of temporoparietal fascia (TPF) and a combination of Medpor (porous polyethylene) implants and autologous rib cartilage . What’s New? This approach blends the benefits of modern materials and endoscopic techniques for safer, more effective, and aesthetically superior outcomes: Study Overview Duration : June 2018 – September 2020 Participants : 45 patients (ages 3.5–50 years) All patients had either congenital microtia or traumatic auricular loss. Preoperative hearing evaluations were performed in children, allowing coordinated treatment for auditory support when needed. Results That Speak for Themselves Aesthetic outcomes were especially impressive in the Medpor group, with clearly defined and natural-looking ear contours. Why It Matters Traditional ear reconstruction techniques like those by Brent, Nagata, and Firmin require 2–4 surgical stages. Not only does this delay treatment until later childhood, but it also places psychological and logistical burdens on families. This single-stage method eliminates multiple surgeries, reduces risk of chest deformity from rib harvesting, and supports earlier social integration for children. And unlike open techniques that often leave visible scars and cause hair loss, the endoscopic method uses just one hidden incision , maximizing both medical and cosmetic success. A Global First With 45 successful flaps harvested endoscopically using a single incision , this is the largest known clinical series worldwide employing this advanced technique. Very few centers internationally have reported similar capabilities—most prior case series ranged from just 1–10 patients. Conclusion One-step microtia reconstruction using endoscopic-assisted TPF harvesting is a milestone in pediatric reconstructive surgery . It’s reliable, reproducible with training, and offers early intervention for even the youngest patients. For parents and physicians seeking a better way forward, this technique offers hope and a path to confidence—for life.

Answer: Children need to be examined at an ear specialist first to determine the cause of the hearing loss. Most people with a disability only have the deformity in the outer ear and the inner ear is normal. If the cause of your hearing loss is the absence of the ear canal,  surgery  is a good choice. of shaping the outer ear, creating the outer ears and the ear canal can improve the patient’s hearing. Medpor method can be done for children over 3 years old. Get to know more

The most common complications associated with ear reconstructive surgery are: • Necrosis of the skin • Infection • Scarring and hair loss • Trauma to the lung, Chest wall deformity (if using  ) To understand why complications can occur it should be seen that ear reconstruction is a very complex process as shown below. According to the traditional method of using autologous rib cartilage, the surgical process consists of many stages. The first stage is to remove a few pieces of cartilage from the ribs on the chest, sculpture them to become the frame of the ear and then implant it under the scalp in site of the defective ear. Then, it takes many operations to lift the ear frame off the scalp, create the grooves behind the ears, cover the cartilage frame, skin graft on the scale and adjust other details of the ears. With many such operations, the risk of complications is possible. According to the Medpor method, using porous polyethylene ear frame with artificial synthetic tissue to shape ears, although the advantage is that it only undergoes one surgery but requires delicate dissecting techniques to remove the temporal flap from the layer under the scalp to cover the plastic frame and skin grafting should be taken from the patient own thigh or abdomen. Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Hong Ha, who has successfully performed many ear-defected or microtia reconstructions at the Vietnam-Germany Friendship Hospital, said: When performing difficult techniques, if the surgeon is not experienced, not only this will result in poorly reconstructive ears, which may also increase the risk of complications.   #earreconstructionsurgery #methodofusingautologousribcartilage #EarMedpormethod

This is a 5-year-old child with Lobule-type microtia who underwent endoscopic ear reconstruction using Medpor implant. The new ear was completely reconstructed in a single surgical stage, with results exceeding expectations. Here, we can see that with endoscopic assistance, the patient experienced mild postoperative hair shedding during the first two to three weeks. However, within two to three months, hair regrowth was excellent, completely covering the scar behind the ear. Please leave your message or contact our hotline for a consultation meeting with Dr. Ha. 0974700600 - 0866800700

Approximately 1 in 4,000 babies in Southeast Asia are born with 1 or two missing/barely developed ears in a congenital condition called microtia. This condition is often associated with atresia which is a non-development of the ear canal. The middle and inner ears are usually present, but the sound cannot reach those structures and so the child cannot hear in the affected side. Thus, patients with microtia and atresia suffer from both the stigma of deformity and the disability of deafness. If both sides are affected this is particularly disabling. In addition, the volume of motorbikes in Vietnam and the lack of full-face helmets leads to frequent ear avulsion injuries. These require reconstruction. Vietnam has been making significant strides in treating microtia. For instance, the British Foundation for International Reconstructive Surgery and Training (BFIRST) has been collaborating with local teams in Hanoi to develop advanced ear reconstruction techniques. These efforts have resulted in a strong ear reconstruction service that uses single-stage surgery and minimizes scarring. Additionally, there are ongoing efforts to improve hearing restoration for patients with microtia and atresia. Specialists are working on implementing surgical implant techniques to address congenital deafness.

Answer: The ear consists of three main areas: outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. The outer ear acts as the receiver for sound waves to travel through the outer ear canal and cause vibrations in the eardrum. The eardrum and the three small bones of the middle ear amplify the vibrations as they travel to the inner ear. There, the vibrations travel through the fluid in the cochlear structure in the inner ear (cochlea). Attached to nerve cells in the cochlea are thousands of tiny hairs that help convert sound vibrations into electrical signals that are transmitted to the brain. The brain turns these signals into sound signals. Small ear defects (ear defects) are not only deformed outer ear rings, but also often come with no ear canal and no eardrum (Atresia) resulting in loss or loss of hearing (inability to hear sounds) in defective ear. After your baby is born or when you adopt a baby, your baby usually hasn't had a newborn hearing screening. Once your baby has not had newborn hearing screening, you need to take your baby to an ear, nose and throat doctor and an audiologist for a hearing test to find out how much hearing loss your baby has. Hearing loss is if both ears are hearing loss (hearing loss). With the help of your ENT doctor and audiologist, you will be informed of options that best help your baby. Before the coronary imaging surgery, the patient may be asked to have an audiometric test, with a CT scan to check the middle ear. Based on the examination results and the specific situation, the doctor may recommend the use of hearing aids or surgery to create an external ear canal to increase hearing and hearing for the baby. That is why Dr. Nguyen Hong Ha, expert on ear shaping, also works closely with leading ENT specialists and audiologists to not only reconstruct the ear for children early from 3 4 years old but also counseling on hearing function treatment so that the children can integrate best in life.