Baby's antihelix deformity

Many babies have helix deformity when they are born. There are many types of helix deformity. Some people's ears may look smaller, and some people's ear cartilage develops irregularly, which will make the newborn's ears look weird. If the helix develops abnormally, it will affect the child's hearing and appearance. So what should babies do with helix deformity?

Microtia refers to a deformity of the ear.

Mild deformity: The appearance is basically normal, but the shape is smaller.

Moderate deformity: There is a change in appearance and the cartilage development is irregular.

Severe deformity: shapeless, with only small irregular pieces of cartilage, often accompanied by external auditory canal atresia.

2. External auditory canal atresia

External auditory canal atresia is mostly caused by incomplete development of the external auditory canal, often accompanied by symptoms of maxillofacial dysplasia.

Mild deformity: Only the external auditory canal is closed externally.

Severe deformity: The external auditory canal is completely closed, often accompanied by symptoms of middle ear deformity and incomplete development of the eardrum.

Warm reminder: Pay attention to pregnancy care to reduce the incidence of deformities; adopt comprehensive measures to remedy the situation.

3. Preauricular fistula

The auricle is formed by the fusion of the ectoderm hillocks of the first and second branchial arches of the embryo. If epithelial remnants are left during the fusion, a blind tube is formed.

Symptoms: Preauricular fistulas are mostly located in front of the helix, and often have greasy or cheesy secretions at the fistula.

Branchial cleft cysts originate from the residual tissue of the first pair of branchial clefts, and mostly occur in the postauricular groove, between the earlobe and the mastoid process. If there is a fistula, it is mostly located at the junction of the posterior and inferior wall bone and cartilage of the external auditory canal.

Symptoms: The cyst is not obvious when the child is young, but gradually increases in size as the child grows older. If infection occurs, abscesses may form and suppuration may occur repeatedly.

Treatment recommendations: If the abscess is located superficially or deep to the facial nerve, care should be taken during surgical removal to avoid damaging the facial nerve.

5. Inner ear malformation

Among inner ear malformations, inner ear underdevelopment is less common, and most cases include congenital deafness and muteness after birth, which is seen in various syndromes.

The baby's congenital cholesteatoma is caused by the dislocation of the ectoderm and the accumulation of the epithelium. It will gradually expand around and destroy the bone.

Cholesteatoma may occur in the external auditory canal or other parts of the temporal bone.

Treatment recommendations: CT can usually confirm the diagnosis, and surgery should be performed to remove the tumor.