Non-surgical correction of cryptotia

Introduction: Cryptotia is characterized by an absence of the upper part of the temporoauricular sulcus with the superior third of the auricle buried under the temporal skin. The principle of correction of cryptotia is to achieve both a functional and aesthetic ear.

Methodology: A 4-year prospective study was carried out in a single centre on infants with cryptotia. We introduce a two-staged approach for non-surgical correction of cryptotia and a treatment algorithm based on the age of the patient. In the first stage, we unbury the auricle over 2 weeks. The second stage involves 2 additional weeks of helical moulding to correct the underlying or residual deformation. In our algorithm, patients more than 6 weeks of age undergo only the first stage of cryptotia correction, whereas those less than 6 weeks of age progress to the second stage of treatment.

Results: A total of 5 patients (7 ears) were treated with ages ranging from 1 day to 7 months. Two patients underwent 2-stage treatment and 3 underwent 1-stage treatment. At 1 year, all buried helices remained retracted. Four out of 7 ears treated had "Excellent" outcomes and 3 out of 7 ears had "Good" outcomes. All caregivers were extremely satisfied with the outcomes.

Conclusion: This simple and efficacious two-stage technique and algorithm is effective in the correction of cryptotia, even if the treatment is initiated beyond the traditional moulding window in the first six weeks of life. Using this approach, patients with cryptotia benefit by avoiding or simplifying surgical reconstruction in the future.