Advantages of the Stitch Method of Dr. Merck over Traditional methods
Based on the evaluation of 5528 ears operated on between 1996 – 2008
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Stitch method |
Traditional methods |
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Ideal result by always creating a round, edge-free antihelix |
Often edges and deformations along the antihelix |
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Patient can control and decide on the new position during the operation with hand mirror |
No deciding possible |
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Ears can be corrected the same on both sides |
Ears often can't be corrected the same on both sides |
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Patient sees the result already at the end of the operation |
Patient sees result only at first change of bandage |
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No headbands |
Always headbands, sometimes for 2 weeks or longer |
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No cuts or removal of skin; only tiny stitch-points on both sides of the ear |
Large cuts of the skin, often oval excisions of skin on the back of the ear |
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The cartilage is not exposed, cut, scored, thinned out or worked in any way |
Thinning, scratching or other working of the cartilage |
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No visible scars |
Scars unavoidable |
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Miminal loss of blood during operation |
Larger loss of blood during operation |
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No bleeding after operation |
Sometimes post-operative bleeding of differing extent |
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Post-operative infection risk at thread penetration of skin only 2.8 % |
Post-operative infection risk at thread penetration of skin up to 9. 9 % |
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Only 4 cases of a genuine allergy to the thread material up till now |
Thread fistula and granuloma up to 9.9 % because of use of other thread material |
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Pain after operation seldom longer than 1 to 3 days |
Pain up to a week or longer |
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Only one day of post-operative infection protection with antibiotics |
Protection of infection with antibiotics for mostly 1 to 2 weeks |
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Minimal traumatisations of the ears |
Heavy traumatisations of the ears |
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Low degree swellings for about 5 to 7 days |
Often heavy swellings up to two weeks or longer |
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No shaving of hair around the ear |
Often shaving of the hair around the ear |
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Outpatient treatment |
Often inpatient treatment, sometimes for up to two weeks |
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No post-operative check-up |
Often several post-operative check-ups and treatments necessary |
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No or only short-term sick leave from school or work |
Always sick leave of varying lengths of time |
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Low relapse quota of 4.9 % |
Clearly higher relapse quota of up to 58 % |
|
Thread rejection quota of 5.8 % |
Thread rejection quota up to 9.9 % |
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Serious complications are not possible |
Serious irreversible deformations extending to a cauliflower ear are possible |
|
Wide acceptance by patients (The oldest male patient so far was 86) |
Low acceptance by patients |