Saudi Gazette A very rare surgery was performed in the Kingdom at King Abdulaziz University Hospital of King Saud University in Riyadh. For the first time, an outer ear reconstruction surgery was performed on both ears of the patient, who had a congenital defect in which the external parts of her ears were almost absent. The condition is quite rare, as one in 6000 children are born with a very small deformed external ear (microtia) or a completely absent external ear (anotia). Deformities in the outer ear, especially as the child grows causes psychological distress, emotional insecurity, and social withdrawal because the ears do have a significant aesthetic quality and they affect the physical appearance of the face. The patient had complained of communication problems and discrimination from her peers in school. Also, lack of a ear is considered a disability; it is the outer ear that supports eye glasses, sunglasses, headsets and headphones. More importantly, the physical abnormality in the outer ear is almost always coupled with some degree of hearing loss. The operation performed on the young Saudi girl was a success.The plastic surgeons inserted two small titanium implants into the bone on the side of the skull where the ear would normally be. Titanium was the physicians' material of choice because it is light, durable, stable, does not rust, and is accepted well by the body. After a short period of healing, the patient returned to the hospital to attach a prosthetic ear that looks just like a natural ear, which is usually attached by a system of either clips or magnets. The prosthetic ear is made out of soft silicon, rubber-like material that is connected to the titanium studs. The surgery also improves the patient's overall hearing. The prosthetic ear was met with much satisfaction by the patient and will allow her to lead a normal life in society as it is very difficult to discern any difference between her ear and a natural ear. However, the prosthetic ear may need replacement every year or eighteen months approximately. The ear reconstruction surgery was led by Dr. Hasan Al-Shehri with the help of Dr. Rabei Al-Jawfi and Dr. Abdulrahman Hejr ; several months of preparation and research had preceded the operation. The president of the Prince Sultan Research Chair for Hearing Disability in Riyadh, Dr. Abdulrahman Hejr, commended the medical team at King Saud University for their progress and advancements in health care in general and in particular the services lent to patients with hearing disabilities. __
