Congenital Atresia Repair

Also known as: CAA repair, surgery to repair congenital atresia.

What is congenital atresia repair?

Congenital atresia is a defect related to the ear that is present at birth. It refers to the complete absence of the external ear canal. Congenital atresia repair is a surgery to repair this birth defect.

What happens during the procedure? 

Congenital atresia repair is a complex reconstructive surgery that often involves multiple assessments, tests and surgical stages. It involves a procedure to remove bone and open up the bones of hearing. Then skin grafts, often from the thigh or lower abdomen, are utilized to reconstruct the missing ear components.
 

Is any special preparation needed? 

Several tests and examinations are required to determine if a child is a good candidate for congenital atresia repair. The primary diagnostic tool is a CT scan. A child typically isn’t eligible for the procedure until the age of 4.
 

What are the risk factors? 

Infection, bleeding, injury to surrounding organs and tissues, nerve damage and hearing loss are potential risks of congenital atresia repair. There’s also a chance that the procedure is unsuccessful.

Reviewed by: Brian Ho, MD

This page was last updated on: January 18, 2022 07:08 PM