Non-surgical Device Corrects Newborns’ Ears

Stanford University’s Children’s Hospital reports that its surgeons are having great success with a new infant ear correction system that reshapes a newborn’s ears without surgery.

Approved by the FDA in 2010, EarWell is a custom-fit plastic molding device that if worn for six to eight weeks early in life can reshape a baby’s ears and permanently correct their shape. The system is effective because the circulating estrogen left over from pregnancy gives infants’ cartilage high flexibility.

“We see an immediate result, even within the first two weeks,” said plastic surgeon Rohit Khosla, MD. “It’s very remarkable.

“This is a simple and elegant solution,” Khosla added. “It’s painless and non-surgical. And it allows the patient to avoid potentially many years of social stigma associated with ear deformities.”

Prominent or misfolded ears affect between one-fifth and one-third of babies, according to the Stanford School of Medicine.

The key to EarWell’s success is early intervention, Khosla explained. When treatment is started within the first month of life, the device has greater than 90 percent success, but it is less effective in older babies.

“We can take advantage of the patient’s biology in this specific window of infancy to correct a deformity that will otherwise be uncorrectable until the child is older,” Khosla said. “And with this technique, the cost of surgery, the pain and the recovery can all be avoided.”

Ear surgery is another option for correcting ear issues, such as prominent ears, and may be performed on patients as young as five (once the ears are sufficiently developed). Also known as otoplasty, ear surgery pins back protruding ears.

Learn more about ear surgery at Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery Center and read more about EarWell at the Stanford School of Medicine website.