Congenital Malformations of the Heart

Two hundred and two operations on patients with a congenital ear malformation are presented. Special emphasis is placed on those patients seen in the past three years. The goal of surgery is normal, or near normal, hearing in the operated ear. The surgical approach is direct to the middle ear, and the mastoid air cell system is not opened. Temporalis fascia is used for the new tympanic membrane and a center hole split-thickness skin graft is used to line the new ear canal. In the uncomplicated atresia patient, the postoperative speech reception threshold is routinely 15 to 25 dB.