Do you want to stay connected with the latest advancements and events in the Microtia community? Get updates on upcoming conferences, along with important announcements and clinical insights from Dr. Nazarian and Dr. Reinisch.
The Learn Microtia Conference is an educational event for families of children with microtia and aural atresia. Over two days, leading surgeons will present the latest advancements in ear reconstruction and hearing restoration. They will offer one-on-one consultations with all patients and their families.
Whether your child was recently diagnosed or you are exploring treatment options, this conference is designed to give you the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions about your child’s care.
Hear from leading surgeons, researchers, and specialists who are advancing the field of microtia and auricular reconstruction.
Dr. Reinisch is a graduate of Dartmouth College and Harvard Medical School. As a Professor of Surgery, he was both Chairman of Plastic Surgery at the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles and Head of Plastic Surgery at the University of Southern California. He was the former Director of Craniofacial Surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and has treated patients from over 60 different countries. Dr. Reinisch has authored more than 100 scientific publications advancing reconstructive surgical techniques including ear reconstruction for microtia.
Dr. Nazarian is a fellowship-trained otologist and skull base surgeon specializing in hearing restoration, cochlear implants, and ear canal reconstruction. He directs the Center for Advanced Ear Surgery (CAES) in Beverly Hills and works closely with Dr. Reinisch to perform CAM surgery — a coordinated, single-session procedure that combines ear canal creation, middle ear reconstruction, and outer ear reconstruction.
The Learn Microtia Conference is an educational event, first and last. The day is structured to take you from a general understanding of microtia and aural atresia through to a private, one-to-one conversation about your own child — so you leave with answers specific to your family, not just general information.
Arrive, register, and meet the team. You will receive the schedule for the day and have time to settle in and meet other families before the sessions begin.
An open session where you can put your questions directly to the surgeons. Most parents find that hearing other families’ questions is as useful as asking their own.
Leading surgeons present the current science on microtia, aural atresia, ear reconstruction and hearing restoration — explained in plain language for parents, not for clinicians.
Implant-based ear reconstruction was developed by Dr. John Reinisch, who has treated more than 4,000 patients from over 60 countries since performing the first of these procedures in 1991. Together with Dr. Ronen Nazarian, he continues to advance the technique today.
| Implant Reconstruction | Rib Cartilage | |
| Number of surgeries | Typically 1 | A minimum of 2 |
| Earliest age | ~3 years | ~8–10 years |
| Donor site scar | No | Yes (chest) |
| Hospitalization | Outpatient (same-day) | Usually 1-3 days |
| Recovery pain | Minimal | Moderate |
| Hearing restoration in the same session | Yes (with CAM or a device) | Requires a separate procedure |
| Post-Surgical Drains | No | Yes |
MEDPOR was the original PPE (porous polyethylene) ear implant — like “Kleenex” for the category. In practice, we now use PPE implants such as Omnipore and Su-Por, which evolved from the original MEDPOR design.
