[Auditory aspects of congenital malformations of the external and middle ears].

Auricular malformations are frequently associated to malformations of the external, the middle, and the inner ear in variable degrees. Asystematic audiometry must be performed in case of unilateral facial microsomia. This test which can be performed in very young patients can detect bilateral ear malformations necessitating auditory rehabilitation by surgery or external hearing aids. In major ear aplasia, air conduction hearing aids can rarely be proposed. In this case, bone conduction hearing aids using a mastoid transducer of through a bone anchored device yield the best auditory results with an excellent local tolerance.