How to make an ear-shaped film with a “leg”?

This study used a soft ruler, drawing pen, and a piece of X-ray film. A piece of film of sufficient size (allowing for an approximate “leg” length) was cut. The patient stood against the wall, with the affected ear facing the wall and the healthy ear facing the practitioner, and his/her head gently rested against the wall to support and keep the head relatively stable during the ear-shaped film production. The physician used a marker pen to outline the healthy ear on the film (helix, crus of helix, crura of antihelix, tragus, antitragus, lobe, scapha, and concha) and to determine the location of the highest projection point of the healthy ear (there may be one or more outermost projection points, marked as required) (Figures 1,2​1,2).). The perpendicular distance was recorded from the outermost point on the helix to the cranial plane behind the ear and drew an equivalent distance in the vertical direction of the tangent line at the corresponding point on the ear-shaped film, with one or two “legs” of which the width is 0.5 cm to provide adequate support for the film (Figure 2A-2C). The novel ear-shaped film was trimmed carefully along the contour with scissors. After cutting, the ear-shaped film was compared with the healthy ear to observe whether it better reflected the detailed structure and height of the ear (Figure 2D-2H).

The traditional ear-shaped film and the novel type of ear-shaped film with one or two “legs”.

The method of making an ear-shaped film with one or two “legs”. Doctor who stands behind the patient marks the location and number of the highest projection point of the ear. Measure the vertical distance from the highest projection point to the temporal bone (A,B). Depict the specific details of the ear in the film. Draw the length of the “leg” with a width of 0.5 cm horizontal to the line in which direction is tangent to the highest projection point (C). After drawing the ear-shaped film, compare its details and height with a healthy ear and repeatedly optimize the ear film shape (D-F). The amount of the “leg” depends on the number of the auricular highest projection point (G). The “leg” can be designed in a foldable style as needed so that it can be adjusted to the appropriate height before being cut to a determined length (H).