Recap of Dr. Bonilla’s presentation: It is important to offer realistic expectations of the surgical reconstructions. It is important to stress to parents that surgical outcomes can be wonderful…but are not always a perfect science. It is our responsibility as surgeons to be truthful, realistic and caring. We owe this to parents. There are four options for reconstruction of the microtic ear:

• Do nothing
• Cartilage technique
• Medpor technique
• Prosthetic

The most important question to ask the surgeon:

• How many of these microtia reconstructions do you perform on children?
• Do you specialize only in children or do you operate on adults as well?
• Do you specialize only in microtia or do you perform other plastic surgery operations in adults and children?
• What are your complication rates?

Responsibilities as surgeons:

• Offer patients all of the alternatives (even if it means another surgeon has more expertise in a certain technique)
• Be truthful by offering the advantages and disadvantages of the surgical technique
• Remind the parent that this is not a perfect science and complications can occur (there is no surgeon on the face of this earth that can or should say that every surgery will be perfect)
• Do not push your technique on a parent
• Let the parents decide on the best option for their child once they have had a chance to evaluate ALL options
• Remember that neither the parent nor the surgeon is undergoing surgery….the child is!

On the topic of timing and number of surgeries:

• There is absolutely no reason to rush a surgery
• One less surgery does not necessarily make it better
• Remember that the most important goal is the end result, so starting a surgery at an earlier age or pushing the envelope to do everything in one surgery may compromise the new ear

On the topic of insurance:

• All offices have different billing practices
• Must ask the surgeon how their office handles their billing
• Surgeons that perform microtia surgery on a routine basis have special relationships with insurance companies
• This relationship helps the patient and can lessen the financial burden

Finally,

• These children are a true blessing
• They can conquer the world just like any other chil
• We need to give them every opportunity to succeed
• Never let a question or a concern go unanswered
• Live life to the fullest