Ear cancer treatment with tumor removal and reconstruction

Ear tumors might often affect parts of the skull or auditory system crucial for the typical appearance of the human head and face or adequate ear functioning. That’s why sometimes, after removing these tumors, patients might need additional surgery to reconstruct the lost ability. So, surgeons and doctors combined two surgeries and made them simultaneously to save patients time and avoid unnecessary anesthesia and narcosis. Before starting any treatment, medical practitioners should ensure that the patient has ear cancer. That’s why they prescribe a set of diagnostic tests and examinations. The obtained information will also help to plan further removal and reconstruction surgeries. The treatment is conducted under general anesthesia and requires some additional preparations. When the patient is ready, surgeons reach the tumor and remove it from all tissues involved in the cancerous process (including lymphatic nodes and vessels). Next, they reconstruct the outer ear shape using the cartilage and skin of the patient or specific transplant tissues. Doctors might also need to rebuild the skull or other parts of the ear if cancer spreads to these body parts. The surgery might take up to 6 hours in total.