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[Guest]

During the traditional method there is cartilage removed in most cases. The ear should not be able to protrude again, right?

I've read many times that after the old method where cartilage was removed the ear was protruding again. Even after several operations. How can that be???

With your method, where you only work with stitches, the ears never protrude again?

One should think that with your of all methods there should be the risk that the ear is protruding again, in contrast to a method where cartilage is removed.

This is really unbelievable and in any case it's great!!

Do you only use a thread? Do you stitch around the cartilage or do you stitch into the cartilage or how do I have to imagine this?

[Dr. Merck]

Dear Guest,

That's correct, with the old method the cartilage is worked in different ways, sometimes parts of it are even removed. This is done because, as you said, the ears often protrude again after these methods. By thinning the cartilage, the surgeon wants to prevent the ear from protruding again. With the weakening of the cartilage one wants to minimise the flexing resistance of the cartilage. The creation of large wounds is also done so that they will stick and grow together so that there is an additional resistance against an new protrusion of the ears. With my stitch method, the only stabilising and holding element is the invisible thread under the skin. Nevertheless, the ears the ears very rarely protrude again with the Dr. Merck stitch method. This is the result of an evaluation of over 5,000 operations with the stitch method. The explanation for this is the prolene thread I use which can't be torn and is non-soluable. It constructs new tension lines in the cartilage that do not hurt and that lead to a reconstruction of the cartilage over the years. You can see that this is the case with nuns who have worn their wimples so long that the cartilage is re-formed so heavily that the ears are very close to the head.

I do not use a single thread but several about 1,5 cm long threads that lie separate from another. This is the only way to ensure that the ear is positioned individually and according to the patient's wish. The thread is invisible under the skin, positioned around the cartilage around the new anthelix crease. This is possible because of a special stitching technique without cutting the skin.


Best regards

Priv.Doz.Dr.med.W.Merck

[Administrator]