Clinical and radiological evaluation in children with microtia

The management of a child with congenital ear malformation, in particular i f the external ear is severely involved, is difficult because of the comple xity of the therapeutic problem, and that of parental anxiety. It is very i mportant to plan a complete therapeutic/habilitative programme as soon as p ossible, even if surgical procedures are delayed. Diagnostic imaging plays an important role in the global assessment of a child with microtia, in ord er to diagnose possible associated external auditory canal, middle and inne r ear malformations. For these reasons our diagnostic protocol for children with microtia includes otological and audiological evaluation, clinical ge netics and radiological imaging, from the neonatal period. Here, data are r eported on 27 children with microtia who completed the diagnostic protocol. In eight of 27 cases microtia was bilateral; in unilateral cases the right side was affected more frequently. Other congenital malformations were dia gnosed in 41% of cases. A high correlation between the degree of microtia a nd the frequency of external and middle ear dysplasias was found, in accord ance with larger studies of the literature. Inner ear malformations were fo und less frequently, but without apparent correlation with the degree of mi crotia. The fact that children with microtia may also have severe inner ear malformations is emphasized.