Doctors from the Department of Plastic Surgery - Aesthetics and Inter-Department (National Hospital for Tropical Diseases) have just successfully treated a particularly rare injury case. The male patient had a motorbike accident and collided with a truck, causing the outer ear canal to be almost severed, only sticking with a very small skin bridge and almost no blood supply.
MSc.BS Nguyen Ngoc Linh - Central Tropical Diseases Hospital - said: This is a type of injury that previously mostly required complete removal, leading to permanent loss of a part of the earlobe and causing significant facial deformities. The ear is not only a hearing organ but also an important structure that creates contours and balance of the face. For severed or near-discontinued earlobe injuries, the treatment time plays a decisive role: every minute passed directly affects the ability to preserve tissues, maintain function and aesthetic results later.
The patient was admitted to the hospital in a state where the ear canal was almost completely separated from the head, with a very high risk of necrosis if not treated properly. Not only is it a professional challenge, but it is also a trauma that makes patients confused and worried about the possibility of facial reconstruction.
Immediately upon admission, the team agreed to prioritize maximum tissue conservation. The option of microsurgery at this location is very difficult because the lesion is located in the far part of the ear - where blood vessels are extremely small, difficult to find and difficult to connect; even under magnification surgical microscopy, it is not easy to clearly identify. Instead of excision in the traditional way, the team applied a delayed conservation strategy.
The wound is thoroughly cleaned, the soft tissue is treated and restored according to the principle of cosmetic surgery to maintain the natural shape of the ear canal. In parallel, the patient is continuously cared for in depth: Keeping tissue moist with drops of salt water to avoid tissue dryness; shining lights to keep warm, increasing microvascular irrigation; closely monitoring each change in color and tissue temperature.
Currently, the patient has stabilized, is discharged from the hospital and continues to be monitored on outpatient leave, and is also instructed on scar care to ensure the highest aesthetic results.
Doctors also made important recommendations to the community: When experiencing a severed part of the body injury, people need to keep the severed part – no matter how small; wrap it with a clean gauze, put it in a sealed nylon bag and indirectly cool it with ice. Absolutely do not place the tissue directly on the ice, do not wash it with alcohol or strong antiseptic solution, and need to go to the hospital as soon as possible.
