Microtia is a congenital external ear deformity, a condition with 4 grades. It can range from a partially developed external ear to an absent outer ear and ear canal. Ear Surgery in USA and many parts of the world are performed by expert plastic surgeons to correct microtia ear shape.

Children born with microtia are ill-fated to have normal-sized ears and others start bullying them. Some kids have severe microtia that impact even their hearing ability besides affecting their facial aesthetics. In such cases, parents are in a hurry for their kids to undergo microtia surgery. Microtia surgery involves surgical ear reconstruction usually with rib cartilage as graft. However, for a successful surgical outcome, the microtia patient should belong to a suitable age group as recommended by a plastic surgeon.

The ideal age for a child to undergo microtia surgery is influenced by several factors, including:

• The affected ear(s)- In case of unilateral microtia, the surgeon recommends microtia surgery at the earliest, depending on the patient’s development. Kids with bilateral microtia are recommended for microtia surgery usually when they are aged between 4-7 years for improving their speech development and addressing their hearing impairment.
• The grade/severity of microtia- Kids with higher grades of microtia are generally recommended for surgery at a young age when their facial features are fully developed.
• The patient’s natural growth and development rate- Typically, the majority of children attain their full-size ear and the required level of maturity by the age of 7 to 10 years so that’s the right time for microtia patients to go for surgical correction.
• The availability of enough rib cartilage- For microtia surgery using rib cartilage, the best age of the child is around 8 to 10 years as by that time they have sufficient, thick rib cartilage to be harvested as graft.

An ideal age to perform microtia surgery is different for different patients and is best determined by the plastic surgeon. To know about your child’s candidacy for microtia surgery and get it done at the best possible price, contact Dr. Parag Telang, an ear microtia surgeon who practices at The Microtia Trust today.