Microtia Treatment Beverly Hills
Surgical Precision
and Artistic Reconstruction
- Inventor of the MEDPOR® Technique
- 4,000+ Microtia Patients Treated
- Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
- Harvard Medical School-Trained Doctor
Treating Patients From All Over the World
A Renowned Surgeon
Dr. John Reinisch is a leading ear-reconstruction surgeon in Beverly Hills who trained at the Ivy League's globally acclaimed Harvard Medical School. He further proved his elite status by earning board certification, a high honor attained through the passage of rigorous examinations. He pioneered the revolutionary MEDPOR® technique.
Shaping the Field
Our surgeon trained over 200 surgeons from more than 25 different nations. In 2019, he authored the Modern Microtia Reconstruction textbook. He has been a visiting professor at Harvard, Stanford, and universities in Australia, Israel, and the Netherlands.
World-Class Care
To protect patients' health and safety and to ensure excellent surgical results, Reinisch Plastic Surgery works with several board-certified pediatric anesthesiologists and an experienced otologist who are trained and experienced in the treatment of aural atresia and hearing loss.
Change Your Child's Life With Ear Reconstruction
- The majority of our microtia patients come to us from overseas. Our globally renowned surgical team speaks English, Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, Russian, and Hungarian.
- Dr. Reinisch has seen and treated more than 4,000 children from around the world.
- We have a gallery full of patient cases, so you can see what's possible for yourself fr your child.
- If you or your child requires advanced reconstructive surgery to attain a functional, natural-looking ear, request a consultation with our Beverly Hills ear reconstruction office.
What Is Microtia?
Microtia is a congenital condition that affects approximately one in every 8,000-10,000 babies born in the U.S. It causes small, improperly formed ears that may lead to low self-esteem, impaired hearing, and speech issues.
Realizing your child has microtia can be confusing. Many parents wrongly feel guilty, as if they caused their child's congenital deformity. This condition is not your fault and can be corrected at our Beverly Hills microtia surgeon's office.
Microtia Treatment provides major benefits
Microtia surgery is designed to address both external ear deformity and inner ear canal deficiency. By creating a new ear structure, patients can benefit from:
Improved Self-Confidence
Dr. John Reinisch offers a range of ear reconstruction options at our Beverly Hills office that can create a natural-looking result for microtia patients, achieving facial balance and allowing them to feel more confident about their appearance.
Better Hearing
Dr. Reinisch can collaborate with a top otologist during treatment to create or correct an ear canal, which can dramatically improve hearing and allow your child to develop more natural speech patterns.
“Dr. Reinisch is the absolute best.”
"Dr. Reinisch is the absolute best in the world at ear reconstruction. He is world-renown, yet he never makes anyone feel inferior. He and his staff treat patients with the utmost care and respect. I was looking at having my daughter's Medpor surgery at our local pediatric hospital. Her plastic surgeon told me that if I wanted her to have the best in the world for ear reconstruction, I should contact Dr. Reinisch. If you or your child has microtia or anotia, this is the doctor who you need to see. He changed my daughter’s life. There is no one like him!" -Bethany R.
Our Microtia Treatment Options
MEDPOR Ear Reconstruction
Upon recognizing the limitations of the rib cartilage reconstruction option, Dr. Reinisch created the revolutionary MEDPOR ear reconstruction technique in 1991. It is now recognized as the most advanced, proven surgical treatment for microtia.
During this surgery, Dr. Reinisch creates an ear framework that matches a patient’s healthy ear. After attaching the structure, he covers it with the patient’s own tissue, and the cells and blood vessels integrate with porous, biocompatible polyethylene.
The MEDPOR technique typically requires just one surgery, results in minimal scarring, and can be performed on patients as young as three years old. This means patients can have enhanced hearing at a younger age, leading to more advanced speech and language recognition.
Rib Cartilage Ear Reconstruction
Reconstruction using chest cartilage is the older, more traditional method of reconstruction. While Dr. Reinisch does not prefer this technique, he may recommend it in certain cases.
This procedure requires harvesting a portion of cartilage from three ribs in the chest to create the ear shape. Removing this cartilage from the chest requires the patient to be hospitalized.
Surgery using this technique is typically delayed until patients are 8-10 years old, so there is sufficient cartilage to make the ear framework. This procedure cannot be done in younger children.
A Silicone Prosthetic Ear
Patients who do not qualify for MEDPOR or rib cartilage ear reconstruction may choose to enhance their appearance with a silicone prosthetic ear. Although Dr. Reinisch does not create restorations, he can help determine your candidacy, answer any questions you have, and refer you to an outstanding craniofacial expert who can craft this synthetic external ear.
Aural Atresia Repair
Aural atresia is a congenital condition that inhibits inner ear development. In some cases, the tiny bones inside the inner ear are not fused together. In other cases, the inner ear is missing entirely. Reinisch Plastic Surgery is the only practice that combines aural atresia repair and microtia treatment into a single outpatient surgery.
If your child suffers from aural atresia, he or she may be a candidate for ear canal reconstruction as long as they are over 2.5 years of age. During surgery, a trusted otologist will perform ear canal reconstruction, also known as canaloplasty, to address hearing loss. The otologist will surgically create a new ear canal before fabricating an eardrum using the patient’s own skin. This procedure can be performed before or during MEDPOR surgery. Dr. Reinisch will perform the craniofacial cosmetic aspects of the procedure, typically using a polyethylene MEDPOR implant to create an outer ear framework. This process can restore near-complete hearing.
Nonsurgical Aural Atresia Treatments
Although surgical repair is the preferred treatment for aural atresia, not all microtia patients will benefit from this procedure. Dr. Reinisch offers bone-anchored hearing devices and a vibrant sound bridge middle ear implant. While these implants cannot restore hearing as successfully, they can improve auditory processing and language development.
Recovery and Results
Recovery from ear reconstruction is relatively short but needs to be handled carefully. We prescribe medications to minimize discomfort and prevent infection, as well as provide all resources necessary for a full recovery.
Our Beverly Hills office stays in close contact throughout the recovery process.
FAQ about microtia treatment in Beverly Hills, CA
What if my child needs to have both ears reconstructed?
If your child has bilateral microtia, they will require a minimum of two operations. The surgeries will be staged several months apart and reconstruct your child’s ears one at a time. If your child also has bilateral aural atresia, their canalplasty or bone-anchored implant placement can occur at the same time as their microtia surgery.
I’m a U.S. patient from outside California. What does the process look like?
You can return home two days after surgery. However, you’ll have to return to our Beverly Hills office in about two weeks for a checkup with Dr. Reinisch. During this appointment, he will change your child’s bandages and ensure their ear is healing properly.
I’m an international patient. What does the process look like?
If you’re traveling to our Beverly Hills office from outside the United States, you should expect to stay in the area for three to four weeks. During this time, you will complete your consultation, surgical reconstruction, and follow-up visit with Dr. Reinisch.
This Patient Traveled to Us From Mexico and is satisfied with the care his daughter received
“The Dr. Reconstructed my daughter's ear (she had a grade 3 Microtia) We are so grateful with him and his Team, He did an Amazing Job!” -Luis G.
