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[Martin]

Dear Dr. Merck,

I have some questions regarding the stitch method you have developed:

1.) Your stitch method is, with 10 years, quite new. Is it possible, that in some years - maybe not conceivable at the moment - there could appear damages ?
2.) How intense is the sensation of the foreign substance in the ear (especially after the operation) ?
3.) Do the threads remain in the ears forever or is it possible to have them removed after a while without evoking the ears falling back into their old position? (in case, yes; after how many years?)

Thank you very much indeed.

[Dr. Merck]

Dear Martin,
These are very interesting questions and I am pleased to answer them.

1.) With 10 years, the stitch method is no longer very new. If the results have remained for 10 years, then you can expect that they will keep forever. By now, we no longer bargain with inconceivable future problems.

2.) Not one of my patients has ever complained of the sensation of a foreign substance in the ear. You will have it the first days after the procedure but the sensation comes from the stitch points which need to heal, not from the inserted threads. And as you know the healing process is fortunately very fast.

3.) The prolene threads remain forever in your ears. There is no necessity to have them removed because you will not see or feel them. As is the case with vascular surgery.
You could theoretically remove the threads after some years, because we believe that the cartilage eventually reshapes itself. But till now, no patient has had this done.

Kind regards

Priv.Doz.Dr.med.W.Merck