The incidence of congenital ear deformities has been documented to be as high as 58% of all newborns. Unfortunately, the majority of these deformations do not spontaneously self-correct, leaving the child with a permanent deformity that can only be corrected through surgery. With the evolving simplicity of ear molding that can be done in the office, this can obviate the need for unnecessary surgery that comes with its own set of complications and a higher cost. Early detection and early treatment is key for successful ear molding. The purpose of this article is to review the types of deformational ear deformities and the most up-to-date literature on ear molding, increase awareness to this topic, and ultimately increase patient and parental satisfaction with their overall care.
MatsuoKHiroseTTomonoTet al. Nonsurgical correction of congenital auricular deformities in the early neonate: a preliminary report. Plastic Reconstr Surg. 1984;73:38-51.
16.
ZhaoHMaLQiXet al. A morphometric study of the newborn ear and an analysis of factors related to congenital auricular deformities. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2017;140:147-155.
17.
SommarinYHeinegardD.Specific interaction between cartilage proteoglycans and hyaluronic acid at the chondrocyte cell surface. Biochem J. 1983;214:777-784.
18.
HascallVCHeinegardD. Aggregation of cartilage proteoglycans. II. Oligosaccharide competitors of the proteoglycan-hyaluronic acid interaction. J Biol Chem. 1974;249:4242-4249.
19.
BrownAM.Congenital bilateral ear atresia; correction with plastic surgery and prostheses. Plast Reconstr Surg (1946). 1951;7:327-332.
20.
TapanMBulamHIgdeMSinginSUnluRE.A simple method of neonatal ear molding for treatment of Stahl ear deformity. J Craniofac Surg. 2015;26:e802-e803.
21.
MatsuoKHayashiRKiyonoMHiroseTNetsuY.Nonsurgical correction of congenital auricular deformities. Clin Plast Surg. 1990;17:383-395.
22.
ChangCSBartlettSP.A simplified nonsurgical method for the correction of neonatal deformational auricular anomalies. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2017;56:132-139.
23.
TanSWrightAHemphillAAshtonKEvansJ.Correction of deformational auricular anomalies by moulding—results of a fast-track service. N Z Med J. 2003;116:U584.
24.
ZambudioGGuiraoMJSanchezJMGironORuizJIGutierrezMA.Nonsurgical correction of congenital auricular deformities a new method of neonatal molding and splinting [in Spanish]. Cir Pediatr. 2007;20:139-142.
25.
YotsuyanagiTYokoiKUrushidateSSawadaY.Nonsurgical correction of congenital auricular deformities in children older than early neonates. Plast Reconstr Surg. 1998;101:907-914.
HallAAhmedTMehtaDDayaH.Customised ear moulds: a viable alternative to cosmetic ear surgery. Arch Dis Child. 2012;97:335.
28.
van WijkMPBreugemCCKonM.Non-surgical correction of congenital deformities of the auricle: a systematic review of the literature. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2009;62:727-736.
