Acquired aural atresia is typically identified in the setting of rapidly progressive hearing loss. A thorough physical exam is required to evaluate for local causes of inflammation that may be contributing to canal stenosis or fibrosis. A history of recent trauma, recurrent outer ear infections, or otologic surgery often suggests the diagnosis and underlying etiology.[4]

Clinical suspicion for congenital aural atresia typically begins during the first few days of life in a newborn. Initial evaluation requires a thorough examination of the external ear as well as other craniofacial features such as the mandible, oral cavity, spine, eyes, and facial nerve function.[2] The most common findings include an underdeveloped ear, which may appear as a small auricle or absent pinna. An external auditory canal may be stenotic, shortened, or absent. Evaluation of extra-cranial features should also be included in the examination.

Every child with an ear deformity should have comprehensive hearing diagnostics within the first few months of life. Auditory brainstem testing is generally the first step in the evaluation of patients with either unilateral or bilateral aural atresia because both conductive and/or sensorineural hearing loss may be present in either ear. Although conductive hearing loss accounts for up to 90% of the hearing loss, up to 15% of cases may have sensorineural hearing loss requiring further workup.[8] 

If the hearing test in the unaffected ear is normal, speech and language development will occur normally and further testing can be delayed until 6 months of age. However, thorough routine examination and prompt treatment of middle ear effusion are critical to preserving normal hearing in the unaffected ear.[8] 

An otherwise abnormal hearing test requires auditory brainstem response testing to ensure the normal functioning of at least one ear. Genetic testing may also be warranted in suspected syndromic patients. A temporal bone computed tomography (CT) scan is generally not indicated in the initial workup until age 5 or unless surgery is warranted as suggested by the Jahrsdoerfer grading scale. The Jahrsdoerfer grading scale attributes 2 points for the presence of a stapes bone and 1 point each for the presence of an open oval window, middle ear space, facial nerve, malleus-incus complex, mastoid pneumatization, incus-stapes connection, round window, and external ear. There are 10 possible points.[11]

The gold standard treatment for acquired aural atresia is surgical repair. However, management during the early stages of ongoing inflammation is controversial in that some otologists recommend antibiotic/anti-inflammatory treatment, while others argue that delayed surgical intervention results in the progression of medial canal fibrosis.[12]

Intervention for congenital forms is driven by the laterality of the condition, the hearing status, the cosmetic desires, and the feasibility of hearing restoration. Bilateral aural atresia will present with failed audiological testing and require early bone conduction hearing aids. However, recent studies have shown that unilateral aural atresia may have some bearing on academic performance; thus the decision to place a hearing aid is controversial.[13] These patients may require close observation by teachers and speech therapists to ensure a normal progression of speech and language. A routine medical examination is recommended with repeat hearing testing every 6 to 12 months to ensure the preservation of hearing in the normal hearing ear. Aggressive treatment for middle ear infection or effusion is warranted in that regard. 

In the setting of microtia-atresia, auricular reconstruction should precede atresia repair due to concerns surrounding the utilization of the cartilaginous rib graft.[14] Rib cartilage is typically not stable enough for grafting until 5 or 6 years of age. In addition, the patient's ears typically reach 85% maturation around age 5 to 6. This needs to be timed appropriately with school and maturation to prevent psychological anguish. Prior to surgical repair, patients benefit from a bone conducting hearing aids. The preferred age of surgical intervention for bilateral aural atresia is around 6 years of age for several reasons. One reason is to allow maturation of the eustachian tube and pneumatization of the temporal bone to prevent complications of the middle ear. Another reason is improved patient understanding and compliance with postoperative management.[15] An exception to this age is the development of an external canal cholesteatoma, a known complication, which can result in irreversible damage to the middle ear.[16] 

In unilateral cases, there are many factors that need to be considered, including the child's speech, language, and academic development, level of maturity, and hearing ability in the contralateral ear. With a normal hearing contralateral ear, some will delay surgery until the patient is of adolescent age and can partake in the decision for surgery, which includes atresiaplasty versus bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA). Surgically there are different types of atresiaplasty. A lateral atresia is often repaired with a meatoplasty, and a more medial atresia will be repaired with a canalplasty. The decision to undergo surgical repair atresiaplasty is based on the Jahrsdoerfer grading scale, which assigns points for the presence of various anatomical features.[17] 

Higher scores are related to better audiometric outcomes. Some studies have shown that patients with a score of 7/10 or greater had up to a 90% chance of achieving near-normal hearing with atresia surgery, whereas patients with a score of 6/10 or less had a 40% chance of achieving near-normal hearing with atresia surgery.[14] A Jahrsdoerfer score of less than 5 suggests poor candidacy for atresiaplasty. The benefits of surgery over the continuing use of hearing aids is improved sound localization and better hearing in background noise.

The differential diagnosis includes congenital aural stenosis, the narrowing of the external auditory canal. For congenital aural atresia, it can be characterized as nonsyndromic versus syndromic. Most cases are due to unknown, nonsyndromic causes. Goldenhar syndrome, known as oculoauriculovertebral dysplasia or hemifacial microsomia, is among the most common syndromes associated with aural atresia. It is believed to be caused by stapedial artery injury, affecting the first and second pharyngeal arch. Clinical manifestations include craniofacial, cardiac, renal, vertebral, and neurological abnormalities and often follows an autosomal inheritance pattern.[18] 

Treacher Collins syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant neural crest dysfunction leading to zygomatic bone and mandibular hypoplasia, hearing loss, and airway compromise.[19] Assessment for craniofacial abnormalities has important implications not only in diagnosis but also in anesthetic management, particularly for perioperative airway obstruction. Crouzon is caused by an FGFR2 or FGFR3 mutation that leads to craniosynostosis, hypertelorism, proptosis, a flattened forehead, a beaked nose, midface hypoplasia, and occasionally aural atresia. Aural atresia may also be seen in Mobius, Klippel-Feil, Fanconi, DiGeorge, De Grouchy, branchio-oto-renal syndrome, and Pierre Robin syndromes.[8][20]

Determining prognosis for both acquired and congenital aural atresia is challenging as it depends on the severity of the condition and associated abnormalities. In a majority of cases, the overall prognosis is favorable.[21] Hearing loss in aural atresia is expected to be at a threshold of 40 to 60 dB.[8] The mean postoperative threshold is 25 to 35 dB, which is categorized as a mild hearing loss with improved sound localization and background differentiation.[11] Thus, children can develop appropriate hearing and speech with timely intervention; however, the hearing may never be at that of normally developed ears.

Complications of untreated congenital aural atresia include delayed language development and severe learning disabilities. Patients with stenotic ear canals are also at increased risk of external canal cholesteatomas, which can erode through the middle ear and thus require surgical intervention.[22] 

The most common postoperative complications of aural atresia repair include lateralization of the tympanic membrane graft (25%), restenosis of the canal (8%), temporomandibular joint dysfunction (2%), and facial nerve paralysis (1%).[8] Other complications include taste disturbance, sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss, infection, and vertigo.

Packing is often left in the external auditory canal for 3 weeks. A postoperative audiogram is recommended 6-8 weeks after surgery.

Congenital aural atresia is most often sporadic without an identifiable genetic mutation. Thus the parents of patients should be counseled that the risk of malformation in a subsequent pregnancy is no greater than the general population. Also, the implications of impaired hearing and the importance of appropriate medical management should be emphasized. Postoperative compliance of the patient and the family is associated with better outcomes.[23] Routine follow-up at each stage of management is required to avoid irreversible complications.

Any malformation of the outer ear may suggest malformations of the middle or inner ear. Thus, every newborn with an outer ear malformation should undergo comprehensive hearing testing.

As with any medical condition, early detection significantly improves outcomes. This requires patient education about the risk of the condition and the importance of evaluation and follow up. An interprofessional team-based approach is often recommended for patients, which may include primary clinicians, otolaryngologists, plastic surgeons, neurotologists, audiologists, and speech therapists. Genetic counseling may be of benefit in syndromic cases. The ordering of inappropriate tests and imaging without sound clinical reasoning should be avoided. In the case of aural atresia, performing a temporal bone CT scan in an infant less than 5 years of age exposes them to unnecessary radiation, which can be particularly harmful. CT scans are indicated when the patient is at or above the age of 6, and surgical correction is desired.