RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY

Trauma reconstruction

Loss of the ear through trauma seems to be more common than ever before. Irate boxers, Saturday night violence and dog bites have all made headlines. Most trauma cases are bite injuries but a few are due to sharp lacerations. Even an air bag which expands in a car with a broken window can cause amputation of the ear. Attempts to replant ears in the emergency setting often yield poor results and even in experienced hands, there is little chance of restoring blood supply using microsurgery. After a surgical tidy-up, the raw area is best left to heal and the missing area reconstructed at a later date.