RESUMO
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Congenital anomalies of the external ear occurs rarely, and has negative effects on children due to its unaesthetic appearance and hearing impairment. Thus surgical management is needed to correct the deformity and to gain hearing. Authors report the incidence of congenital anomalies of the external ear because there is no available data in Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a hospital based survey and analyzed data from 9 hospitals in Taegu city and Kyungpook Province for the year of 1996. RESULTS: 1) Of the total of 33,898 births, 63 new borns were affected, and the incidence of anomaly was 18.5 per 10,000 births. 2) Incidence of male and female was 43 (68%) and 20 (32%). 3) Incidence of abnormalities is as follows: preauricular sinus was 7.0 per 10,000 births, polyotia was 4.4 per 10,000 births, lop ear was 2.1 per 10,000 births, bifid lobule was 0.9 per 10,000 births, macrotia was 0.9 per 10,000 births, Satyr ear was 0.6 per 10,000 births, microtia was 9.2 per 10,000 births, aural atresia was 3.2 per 10,000 births. 4) According to Marx's classification of the microtia, Grade I was 20, Grade II was 4, and Grade III was 8 cases.