[Survey of quality of life scale for patients with congenital ear malformation].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the congenital ear malformation (CEM)-specific quality of life (QOL) and examine the effects of total ear reconstruction surgery for QOL of CEM patients.

METHODS

A self-composed QOL scale was used for 129 patients with congenital external and middle ear malformation. All patients were requested to fill in the QOL scale before and 1 month after ear reconstruction surgery.

RESULTS

The level of QOL varied according to the degree of ear malformation. The total QOL score of patients with unilateral and bilateral CEM was 28.5 ± 18.4 and 51.6 ± 23.6, respectively. The total QOL score of patients pre- and post-operation was 21.0 ± 14.0 and 14.2 ± 9.7 respectively. Physiological functions, psychological status and social interactions of the patients were of statistical significance after ear reconstruction surgery compared to that of at pre-operation.

CONCLUSION

Congenital ear malformation-specific QOL scale can show sensitively the changes of QOL of CEM patients. And ear reconstruction surgery is beneficial for the patients.