Post-auricular full thickness skin graft by M-plasty technique: an alternative to classical elliptical technique

ABSTRACT

Benign lesions over the auricular region are not uncommon. Most lesions require an excisional biopsy for its histopathological confirmation. If excised, the resultant would be a small to medium sized soft tissue defect, exposing the cartilaginous portion of the ear. Options for reconstruction include a full-thickness skin graft, local flap cover or a wedge composite excision to retain the aesthetic appearance of the auricle. Local flap cover or wedge composite resection are not without demerits. If a full thickness graft is needed, the donor area is usually the post auricular region. We present a modified elliptical incision M-plasty technique to minimize the tissue loss in donor post auricular area when harvesting full thickness skin graft. Although the traditional elliptical incision is used by majority of surgeons to harvest full thickness skin graft from the post-auricular region, the M-plasty technique used in our case is a modification of the traditional elliptical incision which preserves tissue that allows the surgeon to close the wound with less tension and short scar