Skip to main content
Log in

Splintage for correction of congenital ear deformities

  • EURAPS Paper
  • Published:
European Journal of Plastic Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Many congenital ear deformities involve abnormal plical folding, most commonly affecting the helix and the antihelix. Non-hypoplastic auricular deformities can be corrected by appropriate splinting in the early neonatal period without anaesthetic and with minimal cost. At this time, oestrogen activity is increased and the ear cartilage is very malleable. The splinting therapy, devised and popularized in Japan, has not been widely used in Europe. A series of 26 patients having various ear deformities treated by splintage in the early neonate period is presented. Excellent results were achieved in 82% of the splinted ears. In the other 18% results were satisfactory or good. No complications occurred in the series. In conclusion, ear splintage is an effective technique that should be more frequently offered to parents of affected neonates.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3. A
Fig. 4. A
Fig. 5. A

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Kurozumi N, Ono S, Ishida H (1982) Non surgical correction of a congenital lop ear deformity by splinting with Reston foam. Br J Plast Surg 35:181

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Matsuo K, Hirose T, Tomono T, Iwasawa M, Katohda S, Takahashi N, Koh B (1984) Nonsurgical correction of congenital auricular deformities in the early neonate: a preliminary report. Plast Reconstr Surg 73:38

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Matsuo K, Hajashi R, Kijono M, Hirose T, Netsu Y (1990) Nonsurgical correction of congenital auricular deformities. Clin Plast Surg 17:383

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Tan ST, Shibu M, Gault DT (1994) A splint for correction of congenital ear deformities. Brit J Plast Surg 47:575

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Tanzer RC (1975) The constricted (cup and lop) ear. Plast Reconstr Surg 55:406

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Yotsuyanagi T, Yokoi K, Urushidate S, Sawada Y (1998) Non-surgical correction of congenital auricular deformities in children older than early neonates. Plast Reconstr Surg 101:907

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to F. Schonauer.

Additional information

Presented at the 14th Annual Meeting of the European Association of Plastic Surgeons (EURAPS), Vienna, Austria, 29–31 May, 2003

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schonauer, F., Fera, G., LaRusca, I. et al. Splintage for correction of congenital ear deformities. Eur J Plast Surg 26, 290–293 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-003-0553-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00238-003-0553-2

Keywords

Navigation