Otoplasty for prominent ears: a versatile combined technique to master the shape of the ear.

OBJECTIVE: We present our experience with an otoplasty technique that combines "closed" anterior scoring using the Stenström otoabrader with mattress sutures to the posterior cartilage. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: In a retrospective study, we report our experience with 135 patients operated on in the last 12 years. Some surgical principles make our procedure different from previous combination techniques: the posterior access incision is linear without skin excision; anterior scoring is performed along the entire antihelix and scapha, with care to score toward the concha at the tail of the antihelix to bring the ear lobe nearer to the mastoid; Mustarde's mattress sutures are used to stabilize the result. RESULTS: There were no major complications and few minor complications. The aesthetic results were graded as very good or good in 95% of the cases; the rest were graded as satisfactory. CONCLUSIONS: Our technique is versatile, gives pleasant, natural-looking results, and has a low complication rate. It is a simple, reliable, reproducible, and easily mastered method.