External ear anatomy and variations in neonates

Abstract

It is aesthetically important that the auricle has a natural and beautiful shape. The sizes, position and symmetry of normal auricle are used for different purposes in different disciplines. A deformation in the auricle of neonates and its size or location on the face may indicate a possible anomaly. The aim of this study is to investigate the normal sizes, anomaly types, anomaly rates and the relationship between hearing screening test results and auricular anomaly of the neonatal auricle. The length, width, angle, and distance measurements of the auricle were made in neonates (n = 550). Anomaly types of auricle were observed. Goniometer was used to measure angles; digital caliper and ruler were used to measure lengths. Anomalies were detected by the method of observation. In the morphometric data of the neonatal auricle, differences were determined in length and width values in terms of gender. Various types of anomalies were observed in the right ear of 96 participants and in the left ear of 103 participants. Normal auricle size, position and symmetry are important for surgical reconstructions, hearing aid design, producing data banks on gender, age and ethnicity, and providing reference information for multiple diagnostic and forensic procedures. Recognition and early detection of auricular anomalies play an essential role in clinical diagnosis and their correction with special devices.

Hypoxia Differentially Affects Chondrogenic Differentiation of Progenitor Cells from Different Origins

“…External ear anomalies describe a wide range of birth defects such as microtia and anotia, as well as amputation and burns that can result from animal bites, surgery and sometimes cancer (1). Different clinical approaches are used to correct such anomalies and one of the most used is a 2-step method, consisting of harvesting autologous cartilage from ribs and carving it in the shape of the ear before autologous implantation (2).…”