Monitoring reconstructed ears and noses (student study)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Monitoring of reconstructed ears and noses using non-invasive approaches
IRAS ID
168215
Contact name
Peter Butler
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UCL
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
1, 1
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Current reconstruction of ears and noses following cancer, trauma, burns or congenital deformities involves using synthetic or patient's own tissue to carve a new ear or nose. Despite being the gold standard treatment of care, how the ear and noses heals and survives is unclear. To date, surgeons already use a variety of techniques to monitor the ears and noses including physical examination and ultrasound to monitor the ears and noses.
In this study, we will use a variety of non-invasive techniques to gain an understanding into how reconstructed ears and noses survive. Firstly, we will perform a physical assessment to evaluate the patient’s pain and sensation. Secondly, ultrasound will be used to assess blood flow and tissue viability in the reconstructed organs. The stiffness and elasticity of the ears will also be assessed. Questionnaires will also be provided to assess the healing from the patient’s perspective. The information gained from this study will improve our knowledge of how reconstructed ears and nose organs heal, allowing us to improve our reconstructive surgical techniques and provide better outcomes for patients requiring these types of reconstructive surgeries.
REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/NW/0089
Date of REC Opinion
26 Jan 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion