www.ears-forum.com

[Andreas aus Berlin]

I've had an operation with the old method. I can only advise anyone not to do that. Apart from the fact that my ears got infected they look worse than before. Dr. Merck assured me he could operate the botched ears I've got an appointment in his clinic on Majorca. I can go on holidays there after that. I've paid more for the old operation that what I'll be paying for Dr. Merck's stitch method.

[Michael Huber]

I've been operated with the old method, too. That was 4 years ago. Unfortunately I didn't know the Dr. Merck's stitch method. My GP sent me to the ENT clinic where nobody told me about the new, gentle method. I'm really mad about that because my ears look horrible. The right one is a lot farther away from the head than the left one. The left ear is only in the middle part close to the head, but it is much too close. When I complained about it the surgeon said he would have to cut open the ear again and to cut the scars to make the ear move away further from the head. The other ear he would have to do again, too, so it could look the same as the first ear. But I'm not even thinking of wearing again a turban for 3 weeks and to have the enourmous pain again that I had to go through for two weeks. For months I felt a tug in my ears and in winter, sometimes I still feel it. If I had known that I'd have kept my old ears. I asked Dr. Merck and he agreed to use his stitch method for my ears if I was sitll unhappy about my ears. However he said that the part that is too close to the head can't be undone. The other parts that are too far away can be moved in the position that I want. At the moment, I am hestitant. I'd like to see whether the discomfort I have from the first operation really vanish some day.

M. Huber

[muck22]

The fact that the ears look horrible must rather be due to the surgeon than to the old method, right...?

[Dr. Merck]

Dear Muck,

bad results after the traditional method aren't due to the surgeon but rather to the method. If you ? which is done during the old method ? free the cartilage and thin it or scratch it, there is the possibility that there are ugly edges and deformations of the ear. If there is an infection caused during the freeing of the cartilage and if you can't cure it with antibiotics, there is the danger of the so-called cauliflower-ear.

Best regards
Priv.Doz.Dr.med.W.Merck