Comparison of Techniques for Correcting the Prominent Ear in Rabbits

ABSTRACT

The relative merits of cartilage scoring versus suturing in techniques for correcting the prominent ear remains a subject of debate among leading plastic surgeons. We compared a variety of echniques for correcting the prominent ear in 72 rabbit ears using scoring, horizontal mattress sutures, and combination scoring and suturing. The ears were splinted with a right-angle fold for 3 postoperative weeks, and the animals were sacrificed after 8 weeks. Suturing techniques in combination with scoring maintained an angulation significantly closer to the desired 90 degrees than cartilage scoring or cartilage suturing only(p<0.05). Histological analysis demonstrated a significant increase in cartilage hyperplasia by suturing alone, whereas the other techniques achieved only mild to moderate increases. We recommend cartilage scoring and suturing through skin incision on severe degrees of prominent ear, and cartilage needle scoring and buried suturing through slit incision on mile-to-moderate degrees of prominent ear.