Five Weeks Post Microtia Repair

August 21, 2011.    Yes - that's his new ear!  It's been one month and three days since Ben's surgery.  Ben's ear is really coming around.  When Ben saw this picture of his ear (above), he insisted it was his old big ear.  There is still some raw-ness in the same spot and along where the sutures were along the rim of the ear, but the ear is looking less and less swollen.  For the past week and a half, since Dr. Lewin told us she was concerned about the healing in that one spot, we've been putting Bacitracin Zinc ointment on the raw spot, Clobetasol on the front surface of the ear and Neosporin gel on the part of the ear right at the entrance to the canal where there had been some cyst-like bumps.  The cysts at the front of the canal that I was worried about seemed to have resolved themselves and gone away.

I created my own way of wrapping his ear so that it's protected and is kept moist with the ointments, but he doesn't have to wear the cup.  So most of the time, Ben's ear is enjoying healing time under wraps.  He's not a big fan of wearing the cup, but he's fine wearing the bandage.

August 26, 2011.  It's been five weeks and four days, and Ben's ear has healed an incredible amount in a short period of time.  Here (to the left) is a photo from today after I cleaned his new ear.  As you can see, the swelling has decreased a lot.  It still has a ways to go.  The skin is still raw and a little pink.  Dr. Lewin says that it'll take a few more months for complete recovery.  Francesca said that it will get a bit more definition, which you can start to see already.  I'm also including (to the right) a photo of his "old ear" - his left side non-microtic ear so that you can see the comparison.

Here are also some pictures from the past few days.  When we went to visit Francesca on Wednesday, Francesca said that the cool thing is that while the ear first had only that one blood vessel providing the blood, by now vessels from other sides of the ear have grown into the membrane and so the ear is being provided with blood from all directions.  She said that the original vessel feeding the ear could be cut, and Ben's ear would be just fine.  Amazing!

Four Weeks Post Microtia Repair

August 10, 2011 - before bed time.  By week 3, Ben's ear was healing nicely.  So after our August 10 visit to Dr. Lewin, as per her advice, I gave my first crack at cleaning Ben's ear with hydrogen peroxide.  Bad idea.  Immediately, the hydrogen peroxide made some of the skin on the ear turn white, and there was a slightly "raw" spot that became an open wound by the morning.  I sent Ben to summer camp with no cup or bandages on his ear because I had thought it was OK to do so.

August 11, 2011.  I sent the photo to the right to Dr. Lewin because I was concerned about the open sore.  She called me back and said to keep the spot  moist with vaseline and to not worry about it.  That was on a Thursday or Friday.

 

August 15, 2011.  By Monday, the ear looked a bit better (see photos above from Dr. Lewin's office), but I was going to travel for the week, so I brought Ben into the office.  I actually thought the ear looked pretty healed up by the time of the appointment, but Dr. Lewin saw it and was quite concerned about how raw the skin looked in that one spot. 

Dr. Lewin put us on a new regiment using the special yellow tape + the Bacitracin Zinc ointment.  (They say it's basically the same thing as Neosporin.) 

August 18, 2011.  Exactly one month post surgery.  As per Dr. Lewin's advice from our previous visit (see below), we had been checking and re-applying Bacitracin Zinc ointment to his ear twice a day for the past few days, and the open sore on his ear seemed to make good progress healing.  By the time I returned from my work travel, it had improved further (left and below).

Three Weeks Post Microtia Repair

<August 10, 2011.  Ben's ear is looking less and less swollen, it's coming closer to his head, and almost all of the sutures in the front are gone.  There are some small signs of irritation (tiny bumps/cysts) in the canal; Dr. Lewin and Francesca say Ben probably had a reaction to the sutures there and that it will go away.  (You can see the tiny bumps in the second photo below.)  Dr. Lewin was really busy during this appointment with tons of patients in her office.  Another nurse (Cheryl?) washed Ben's hair and prepped him, and then he had his photo taken by Francesca.

We're told that he looks great and that we can start washing his ear on our own.  Also, we're told that with the split graft (which Ben had), they recommend putting a dollop of Clobetasol on the front (split graft) side of the ear.  In addition, Dr. Lewin recommends that I put Neosporin in the entrance of the canal where there are a few bumps/cysts.

Ben in the photo booth.  Francesca behind the lens.  This is his new ear at three weeks.  Yes, that is his new ear.

Two Weeks Post Microtia Repair

August 3, 2011.  Same wonderful, exclusive Dr. Lewin / Francesca Jahns spa.  (Photo of spa treatment to the right.)  Ben's ear is looking a lot better quickly.  Francesca puts a cotton with vaseline on it in his ear to prevent water from getting into his ear during the shampooing.

There is still dried blood, rawness, stitches and quite a bit of swelling.

I love this picture of Francesca painstakingly cleaning his ear.  It's apparently important to keep the ear cleaned and work the stitches and grime out to help the ear heal and look good.