Why is the MEDPOR technique better than the more traditional technique with rib cartilage?
The MEDPOR plastic implant technique is superior for three important reasons. First, the final appearance of the ear from a MEDPOR total ear reconstruction matches very closely to the natural ear of a human being. The usual result from a rib cartilage total ear reconstruction is very mediocre to poor, without any true resemblance of a normal ear. Second, the MEDPOR total ear reconstruction can be performed at 4 years of age, which decreases the chance for psychological trauma during the important changes that occur between 5 and 10 years of age. Third, only 2 operations are usually needed to complete a total ear reconstruction rather than the 4 or 5 operations customarily needed for the rib cartilage total ear reconstruction.
