Two Cases of Ear Reconstruction Using Prefabricated Radial Forearm Free Flap

ABSTRACT

Deformities of the auricular region that have been resulted from burns or other traumatic injuries emotionally devastate the patients and frustrate the surgeons. The surgical procedure for ear reconstruction varies depending upon the quality and quantity of available skin in the auricular region after burns and other facial trauma for the coverage of cartilage framework. Postauricular skin, postauricular fascia, temporoparietal fascia have been used for traumatized ear reconstruction according to the literature. But toral ear reconstruction in the cases of severe trauma like burn or traffic accident is one of the most difficult problems because of its paucity and poor quality of the available skin in the auricular region. The author reports two cases of traumatized ear reconstruction using a prefabricated radial forearm fasciocutaneous free flap made of an autogenous costal cartilage framework. This flap is valuable for the reconstruction of severely traumatized ear when local tissue or other free flaps are improper to select.