Ear trauma — issues and prospects | Ukrainian Medical Journal

Materials and methods. Between 2006 and 2021, 54 patients with external ear injuries were hospitalised in the clinic. The circumstances of ear trauma included road traffic accidents — 20 (37.1%) cases, occupational injuries (glass falls) — 12 (22.2%) cases, dog bites — 6 (11.1%) cases, and stab wounds — 16 (29.6%) cases. The time from injury to hospitalisation ranged from 1 to 23 hours: within 1 hour — 19 (35.2%) cases, 1–3 hours — 12 (22.2%) cases, 3–12 hours — 9 (16.7%) cases, and after 12 hours — 14 (25.9%) cases.

Results. All patients underwent surgical intervention: within 1 hour of hospitalisation — 26 (48.1%) cases, within 2–4 hours — 15 (27.8%) cases, and within 5–8 hours — 13 (24.1%) cases. Single-stage surgeries were performed in 28 (51.9%) cases, while two-stage procedures were required in 26 cases (48.1%). Autologous cartilage was used to replace defects in 24 cases (44.4%), a retroauricular flap was employed in 26 cases (48.1%), and complete ear reconstruction was performed in 4 (7.5%) cases. Postoperative complications occurred in 7 (12.9%) patients.

Conclusion. The primary challenge in providing medical care to patients with significant auricular defects is delayed presentation to facilities lacking expertise in plastic surgery. The prospects for addressing this issue lie in genetic engineering and advanced biotechnologies.

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