Children's Hospital Colorado
Microtia Clinic

Microtia and Ear Canal Atresia

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What is microtia?

Microtia can affect the development of one or both ears. Children with microtia have an underdeveloped ear or ears and affects how the outer ear looks. This condition develops before babies are born, beginning during the first two months of pregnancy.

Ears affected by microtia can be:

  • Slightly smaller than normal
  • Significantly smaller than normal with different parts of the ear underdeveloped
  • Completely absent, which is called anotia

What is atresia of the ear canal?

A child with atresia is born without an external ear canal. Atresia can be complete, where there is no ear opening, or there can be a very thin opening of the external ear canal (ear canal stenosis).  Most children with ear canal stenosis or atresia have significant hearing loss on that side.

Can kids have both microtia and atresia?

Yes. Children with microtia and atresia have both a small or absent outer ear, and they are missing an ear canal.

A child with microtia and atresia may have additional health challenges, including conditions that affect the face, such as hemifacial microsomia or oculo-auriculo-vertebral syndrome, also known as Goldenhar syndrome.

When someone has microtia or microtia and atresia and no other developmental conditions, it's called isolated microtia.

What causes microtia and atresia?

Microtia happens because of a mix of genetic and environmental factors. For most patients, the exact cause is not clear. Sometimes, the condition is passed to a child from a parent.

Microtia and atresia have not been linked to anything that happens during pregnancy, except in very rare cases. The prescription drugs isotretinoin (Accutane) and thalidomide, for example, can increase the chances of microtia (and other conditions) when used during early pregnancy. Both drugs are not allowed to be used when you are pregnant.

Who gets microtia and atresia?

Babies of any ethnicity can get microtia and atresia. However, it's more common in Hispanic and Native American ethnic groups. Researchers have developed a rate of occurrence based on ethnicity:

  • Navajo, Inuit, Andean: 1 in 1,200 live births
  • Native Americans: 1 in 1,800 live births
  • Hispanic: 1 in 10,000 live births
  • Asian: 1 in 10,000 live births
  • Caucasian: 1 in 20,000 live births
  • African: 1 in 40,000 live births

Why choose Children's Colorado to treat your child's microtia and atresia?

Children's Colorado provides patients and their families the unique opportunity to get treatment and rehabilitation for microtia and atresia from an internationally recognized team that supports each child’s specific needs. Our Microtia Clinic provides specialized experts for your child’s care needs. This multidisciplinary approach brings experts from around the hospital to address every aspect of your child’s treatment.

To help our patients and families choose the best treatment option for them, we provide current and accurate information from a surgeon, audiologist, family consultant, psychologist, speech language pathologist, anaplastologist and medical photographer. A clinical nurse helps guide families through the process so patients and families feel confident and supported in their treatment plans. Additional support, such as parent-to-parent and patient-to-patient social work resources are also available.

What to expect at the Microtia Clinic

The Microtia Clinic is held once a month at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora. Appointments generally last 60 to 90 minutes.

Families meet with an ear, nose and throat specialist, a family consultant and an anaplastologist (who makes prosthetic devices) at the beginning of the visit. They also meet with a developmental psychologist and speech language pathologist to evaluate development. They meet with the audiologist as needed for hearing tests, amplification consultations and to schedule future appointments.

Families are also invited to stay longer to meet other families and patients that join the clinic.

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Get to know our pediatric experts.

Whitney Bowser, PA-C

Whitney Bowser, PA-C

Physician Assistant

Patient ratings and reviews are not available Why?

Gregory Allen, MD

Gregory Allen, MD

Otolaryngology, Pediatric Otolaryngology

Rachel Hall, PA-C

Rachel Hall, PA-C

Physician Assistant

Patient ratings and reviews are not available Why?

Owen Darr, MD

Owen Darr, MD

Otolaryngology, Pediatric Otolaryngology