Atresiaplasty in Congenital Aural Atresia: What the Facial Plastic Surgeon Needs to Know.

Patients with microtia and congenital aural atresia should have a comprehensive hearing assessment early in life. Options for hearing habilitation should be presented, and children with bilateral aural atresia should be fitted with a bone conducting hearing device to support normal speech and language development. If atresia surgery is pursued, the microtia surgeon must be aware of certain principles. This article presents recommendations on options for potentially improving hearing in children with congenital aural atresia: assessing surgical candidacy; chronology and timing of surgeries; functional importance of certain ear structures; and understanding the possible locations of an aberrant facial nerve to avoid injury in these patients.