Ear Reconstructive Surgery - Traumatic Injury Vs. Cosmetics Article

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Ear Reconstructive Surgery - Traumatic Injury vs. Cosmetics

Ear reconstructive surgery is often sought by those who have obtained traumatic injury or by children with congenital birth defects involving the ear.

Author: A Aaronson

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As with all plastic surgeries, there is a determination to make as to whether the procedure you are seeking is strictly reconstructive or if it is strictly cosmetic, and the reason to make the determination lies with health insurance policies and the reasons for which they pay or partially pay for patients to undergo surgery.

Typically, if a procedure is deemed reconstructive, it is likely to be covered by a client’s health insurance policy. Conditions that affect the hearing and therefore the inner structures of the ear are certainly medical needs, and the accompanying effects of the external ear are often seen as part of the procedure. Though checking with the health insurance provider and thoroughly investigating coverage is highly recommended. Some policies are written as so that only medical necessities are deemed reconstructive, and the external malformations may be seen as secondary.

Ear trauma such as burns, or rips and tears due to serious accidents are likely reconstructive necessities. The internal ear function must be assessed after traumatic ear injury, and the reparations and restorations associated with such trauma will likely be considered by health insurance providers as medically necessary. In such cases the external ear may be reconstructed as its malformation could now be considered a side effect of the impending trauma and the necessary medical procedures.

Some purely cosmetic reasons for seeking ear reconstruction and plastic surgery are ear pinning, ear re-shaping, and piercing reparations. Ear pinning, or otoplasty, is usually done to “pin” prominent ears back closer to the head. Re-shaping is the changing of the look of the ear to better suit the client’s other features and most definitely is considered to be cosmetic, and will not be covered by the typical health insurance policy.

The most recent up and coming reason behind seeking ear reconstructive surgery is to reverse the aesthetic malformations that ear piercing, gauging, and stretching can cause. These trends and fads have been around just long enough that the first generations of avid piercers are beginning to have remorse.

Plastic surgeons have seen severe trauma intentionally inflicted on the external ear, and repairing the damage is surely cosmetic and not an insurance provider’s concern, though some rare situations can occur in which infection due to unsanitary piercing conditions arises. Left untreated, like any other infection, this can enter the bloodstream and cause numerous problems and perhaps death. It is probable that such an infection would be addressed by insurance companies as preventative and, therefore, the associated reconstruction may be presented as medically necessary.

About Author

Traumatic injury may require ear reconstruction and plastic surgery. To learn more, visit http://www.atlantaear.com

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Ear Reconstructive Surgery - Traumatic Injury vs. Cosmetics