‘I could never hear on my left side – until I got a prosthetic ear’

• Key Takeaways for Clinical Practice
• Microtia is a congenital condition affecting external ear development that can be corrected through prosthetic reconstruction, improving both aesthetics and potentially functional hearing outcomes in affected patients.
• Prosthetic ear solutions offer a viable option for patients with unilateral microtia who may have experienced social or functional limitations throughout their lives, including those diagnosed later in adulthood.
• Reconstructive approaches for microtia should be considered as part of comprehensive management, as they can significantly impact patient quality of life and psychosocial well-being beyond the primary anatomical deficit.

Stephen Gilbert, 74, was born with unilateral microtia, a rare condition in which the external ear is underdeveloped or missing on one side.

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