Congenital malformation of the external ear and atresia of the auditory canal.

Abstract

Bilateral atresia of the external auditory canal has long been a serious problem to the practicing otologist, and, through his efforts to restore some degree of hearing to the patient otherwise hopelessly deaf, many surgical procedures have been devised for its correction. Unfortunately, results of these procedures have been so unsatisfactory as to discourage attempts at surgical correction when the patient has one normal ear. We wish to report, however, a case of unilateral atresia associated with external ear deformity in which careful examination suggested to us the probable presence of a normally functioning acoustic mechanism. We were encouraged by this examination to undertake surgical procedure, which, in this case, yielded restoration of normal hearing and an improved cosmetic result. R. B. W., a white youth aged 19, was first seen by us on June 23, 1948, at which time he had acute otitis externa with marked swelling and occlusion