Otoplasty for Prominent Ears: A Versatile Combined Technique to Master the Shape of the Ear

Abstract

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.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Panettiere

Marchetti

Accorsi

. Otoplasty: A comparison of techniques for antihelical defects treatment. Aesth Plast Surg 2004;27: 462–5.

Kompatscher

Schuler

Clemens

. The cartilage-sparing versus the cartilage-cutting technique: A retrospective quality control comparison of the Francesconi and Converse otoplasties. Aesth Plast Surg 2003;27(6):446–53.

Porter

CJW

Tan

Congenital auricular anomalies: Topographic anatomy, embryology, classification and treatment strategies. Plast Reconstr Surg 2005;115(6):1701–12.

Wood-Smith

Otoplasty. In: Rees

, editor. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery 2. Philadelphia: WB Sanders; 1980. p. 833.

Tan

Shibu

Gault

A split for correction of congenital ear deformities. Br J Plast Surg 1994;47(8):575–8.

Gosain

Kumar

Huang

Prominent ears in children younger than 4 years of age: What is the appropriate timing for otoplasty?

Plast Reconstr Surg 2004;114(5):1042–54.

Balogh

Millesi

Are growth alterations a consequence of surgery for prominent ears?

Plast Reconstr Surg 1992;89:623–30.

Adamson

Horton

Crawford

The growth pattern of the external ear. Plast Reconstr Surg 1965;36:466.

Lavy

Stearns

Otoplasty: Techniques, results and complications—a review. Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci 1997;22(5):390–3.

10.

Calder

Nassan

Morbidity of otoplasty: A review of 562 consecutive cases. Br J Plast Surg 1994;47:170–4.

11.

Mustarde

The correction of prominent ears using simple mattress sutures. Br J Plast Surg 1963;16:170–6.

12.

Furnas

Correction of prominent ears by concha-mastoid sutures. Plast Reconstr Surg 1968;42:189–93.

13.

Stenström

A natural technique for correction of congenitally prominent ears. Plast Reconstr Surg 1963;32:509–18.

14.

Stenström

A simple operation for prominent ears. Acta Otolaryngol 1966;27:393.

15.

Chongchet

A method of antihelix reconstruction. Br J Plast Surg 1963;16:268–72.

16.

Converse

Nigro

Wilson

. A technique for surgical correction of lop ears. Plast Reconstr Surg 1955;15:411–8.

17.

Stucker

Vora

Lian

Otoplasty: An analysis of technique over a 33-year period. Laryngoscope 2003;113(6):952–6.

18.

Bulstrode

Huang

Martin

Otoplasty by percutaneous anterior scoring. Another twist to the story: A long-term study of 114 patients. Br J Plast Surg 2003;56(2):145–9.

19.

Francesconi

Grassi

Fenili

. [Personal experience in the surgical treatment of the prominent ear.] Acta Otorhinol Ital 1982;2:163–82.