Natural ear reconstruction without prolonged pain after cartilage-harvesting surgery is now possible

AI Summary

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago has pioneered a pain-free ear reconstruction technique for children with microtia. The new procedure uses ultrasound-guided nerve freezing, significantly reducing postoperative pain and recovery time.

Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago is the first in the world to eliminate months of pain after surgical repair for microtia—a rare condition where a child is born with an underdeveloped or missing outer ear. Previously, children with microtia have suffered prolonged postoperative pain because cartilage for ear reconstruction is harvested from one of their ribs. Now, prior to plastic surgery, Lurie Children's specialists freeze the nerve at the rib harvesting site through a minimally invasive, ultrasound-guided procedure that lasts only 20 minutes. Patients can go home without pain as early as a day after surgery.