ABSTRACT
Management of auricular defect is still a challenge for reconstructive plastic surgeons. The complexity of anatomy and shape will make the reconstruction complicated. It is also inevitable that choosing the right donor to close the defect that resembles the original contour is one of the success indicators of any ear reconstruction. There are wide selections of techniques for the management of auricular defect. Retroauricular flap is one of the best choices in auricular reconstruction due to its vascular richness, low of failure rate, similarity of tissue contour and the ease of closing the donor-site defect primarily. This article reported three cases of auricular defect with various causes: crushed injury, human bite, and tumor excision. Two stages of surgeries were performed on all three patients. After sufficient debridement, the ear defect is planted beneath retroauriculomastoid dermis. The second stage, three weeks from the first surgery, the donor flap is separated from it host. One week follow up after the second stage surgery, all of the post-operative wounds showed no signs of infection, minimal scar formation and has satisfied aesthetic outcomes. The retroauricular flap has the advantages of simple dissection, low failure rate and has a good shape, texture, color for a very good aesthetic results. This flap may be considered as a good solution in the management of auricular defect and a flap bank for ear reconstruction.
ABSTRACT
Objective@#To introduce a reconstruction procedure of natural sideburn, with combined expanded retroauricular flap and scalp flap.@*Methods@#A retrospective study was produced in Plastic Surgery Hospital, PUMC, from January 2014 to December 2017. Twenty patients (21 sides) underwent sideburn reconstruction with combined expanded retroauricular flap and scalp flap (double pedicled flap, n=3; single pedicled flap, n=17) were included in this study. There were 12 male (12 sides) and 8 female (9 sides), with the mean age of (23.8±3.2) years. The sideburn defect was caused by burn in 19 patients, and it was resulted from hemangioma in 1 patient.@*Results@#The size of flaps ranges from 8 cm×12 cm to 10 cm×16 cm. Venous congestion at the distal end of the flap occurred in 1 patient, which was cured after dressing change, and the sideburn was not affected. The reconstructed sideburns are natural, symmetric, and without obvious scar. The follow-up time was 3-40 months. Fourteen patients were very satisfied with the reconstructed sideburn, and 6 patients were satisfied. No severe complication was observed during follow-up time.@*Conclusions@#The combined retroauricular flap and scalp flap is an alternative method for sideburn reconstruction, which provide natural hair distribution, inconspicuous scars and less complications.
ABSTRACT
Cryptotia is a congenital auricular anomaly found more commonly in orientals than whites. It is characterizaed by the invagination of the upper part of the auricle under the temporal skin and deformity of the auricular cartilage. Surgeries to correct cryptotia principally involves addition of skin to the deficient retroauricular sulcus and cartilage plasty. We have developed a surgical method using modified retroauricular flap and have obtained good result without complication. We hereby report a surgical case with discussion and review of literatures.