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The implant that reattaches the ears in 15 minutes

08/12/2016

The implant that reattaches the ears in 15 minutes 

                  The implant "Earfold" was tested on 7 year-old children, without any complication


A new procedure to "reattach" certain ears, less invasive than conventional surgeries, is now available in France.


If having peeled ears has no medical gravity, the people concerned can be the victims of mockery and afflicted with derogatory nicknames that can affect their psychological balance. Since last June, a metal implant created by Dr. Norbert Kang, an English surgeon, to correct this aesthetic defect, has been implemented in the French reconstructive surgery clinics.

"An innovative technique"

“Earfold”, the implant in question, is introduced under the skin thanks to a small incision in the anti-helix fold (cartilage that borders the hollow of the ear). The thin metal band made of nickel-titanium alloy (Nitinol), an elastic material used in vascular prostheses and unbreakable glasses frames, clings to the cartilage and immediately adopts its predefined shape by recreating the anti-helix crease which, when it does not exist, is responsible for some "peeling" of the ears.

All people who can have a local anesthesia can benefit from this technique. It was tested on children of 7 year-old without any complication. On the other hand, it works only in individuals whose deformation is due to the absence or underdevelopment of the anti-helix fold. Individuals in whom detachment is caused by a deep shell (ear cavity) should go through more conventional and more complicated otoplasty procedures (ear surgery). In total, it is estimated that about 5% of the population is affected by detached ears, from all causes.

"This technique is very innovative," says Dr. Michel Corniglion, a surgeon at the Saint-Charles Clinic in Lyon who carried out the first operation of this kind in France last June. "It has the advantage of being minimally invasive and the potential risks, such as hematomas and infections, are easily preventable if the surgeon meets the necessary hygiene conditions."
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