On Saturday, July 21st, 2018, Vanderbilt University Medical Center hosted the 3rd Annual Microtia and Atresia educational conference at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital. Families learned about all of the options available for Microtia and Atresia and were able to meet with medical professionals to get answers to their questions. A parent panel helped families who have had surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center share their experiences with conference attendees. On site childcare was available for FREE during the conference, providing entertainment and fun crafts for children who attended. The conference included presentations made by the following Microtia and Atresia Clinic staff members:
- Ron Eavey, MD, SM (ENT Clinical Director) – Welcome, Microtia and Atresia research, rib graft surgery including soft tissue repair
- Scott Stephan, MD – Medpor outer ear reconstruction and CAM (Canalplasty w/Medpor one stage surgery) and what to expect
- Alejandro Rivas, MD – Canalplasty, aural atresia repair, CAM (Canalplasty and Medpor one stage surgery) and BAI hearing devices
- Margaret McRedmond, AuD and Brandy Stephens, AuD – Hearing management and bone anchored hearing implants
- Scott Fiscus, BCO – Anaplastology and ear prosthesis
- Parent Panel
Here are some memories from the 2018 Microtia and Atresia conference hosted by Vanderbilt University Medical Center:
The Microtia and Atresia conference was followed by our Ear Community Microtia and Atresia family picnic with nearly 160 people joining us. Everyone enjoyed a lovely picnic day at the Vanderbilt University recreation center where the kids enjoyed getting their faces painted, balloon art, a magician and outdoor fun. Melissa McClellan, along with her husband James and son Jamison, helped host our picnic (patients of the Vanderbilt University Medical Center). The McClellan family shared their experience with Jamison having Microtia and Atresia and their decision to aid Jamison with a bone anchored hearing device to help him hear better. Our picnic provided a delicious Tennessee barbecue lunch. The Founders of Ear Community, Melissa, Hailey, and Ally Tumblin, also joined us at this year’s Ear Community picnic. Attending families were given the opportunity to try on hearing devices and learn more about prosthetic ears and Medpor implants for outer ear reconstruction. The Vanderbilt University Medical Center staff (Dr. Eavey, Dr. Stephan, Dr. Rivas, Dr. McRedmond, Dr. Stephans, Scott Fiscus, Kimberly Hill, Meghan Geiser, Melissa Tumblin, and childcare staff) all wore their “Vandy Microtia Kids Rock” t-shirts during our picnic portion of the event. Everyone enjoyed the day and we look forward to seeing so many of you again each year at our Vanderbilt University Medical Center Microtia and Atresia conference, clinic, and Ear Community picnic!
Here are some fun memories from our Microtia and Atresia picnic:
To make an appointment, e-mail us at: MicrotiaAtresiaClinic@VUMC.org or call ph: 615-343-6166.