ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the feasibility of treating the microtia aided with the digital technology,harvesting the rib cartilage precisely,and carving fabric the ear framework in more details.Methods From July 2015 to January 2017,22 microtia patients accepted clinical therapy aided with digital technology.Preoperatively,the three-dimensional model of the costal cartilage and ear were made to design the cartilage scaffold fabrication.After the operation,the difference of the three dimensional morphology between the reconstructed ear and the normal ear was measured by digital technology.Results With average 7 months follow up,19 cases were satisfied with the outcome of the reconstructed ear including three dimensional position and subunit appearance.The outcomes were acceptable in 3 cases.There were no postoperative complications related to chest wall deformity or affected normal physical function.Conclusions Digital technology can achieve accurate harvesting and reasonable utilization of autogenous rib cartilage,provide accurate guidance for the sculpture of auricle scaffold and objective evaluation for the three-dimensional structure of the reconstructed ear.