Repairing alar defects by using a retro-grade island auricle composite tissue flap based on the interconnection of superficial temporal artery and posterior auricular artery / 中华整形外科杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the application of reverse island auricular composite tissue flap based on the superficial temporal artery for alar defects.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>16 cases with alar defects were treated with reverse island auricular composite tissue flap based on the superficial temporal artery.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All the composite auricular flaps survived with primary healing. The patients were followed up for half a year to four years. The survived composite flaps had a similar color, texture and appearance as normal alar. The cosmetic result was satisfactory.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Reverse island auricular composite tissue flap based on the superficial temporal artery is very suitable for alar defects.</p>