A New Method in the Treatment of Ear Amputation

Abstract

There have been plenty of reconstruction methods for ear amputation, and replantation preserves its importance. In situations where replantation is not feasible, various methods were proposed. We indicate an alternative technique for the ear amputation without replantation indication. The method of replacing of a vascular structure into the tunnel formed on the posterior side of the amputated ear was used instead of replacing the ear cartilage into a vascular area that was described in the literature of ear prefabrication. The dorsal fascial flaps which were prepared from the back of 10 New Zealand rabbits were placed into the amputated ear. The 2 groups, control and the experimental, were consequently the ear that was adapted as a composite graft and the ear with the flap inserted. The ears were examined macroscopically and photographed on postoperative days 3, 7, 14, and 21. On the 21st day, the nourishment pattern of the ear, the dorsal fascia, and the dorsal fascia adapted ear were investigated with digital subtraction angiography (DSA). The group that received applied dorsal fascia possessed increased vascularity. The viability was evaluated with the biopsies taken from the control group and the group that received applied dorsal fascial flap on the 21st day. The cartilage and the connective tissue were viable in the flap-applied group, whereas there was necrosis in the control group. The reflection of the experimental study was performed on 2 subtotal and 1 total ear amputation cases, with the utilization of the superficial temporal artery. The nourishment of the flaps was evaluated with postoperative photographs, angiography, and bone scintigraphy.

Triangular Fossa Graft for Philtral Reconstruction After Facial Burns

“…In 1972, Baudet et al 2 indicated that before adapting the amputated part to a vascular bed at the posterior auricular region, the excision of the posterior skin of the amputated ear and the opening of small windows over the cartilage could help in the composite nourishment of the ear. Alagöz et al 3 conducted a study on cartilage drilling in 2007.…”

Nonmicrosurgical Single-Stage Auricular Replantation of Amputated Ear

“…7 Many techniques described methods that suggested placing the auricular cartilage in a vascular area with staged transfers. 8 Another method is to cover the auricular cartilage with the grafted temporoparietal fascia flap. 1,9,10 The idea of our work is replacing the amputated ear cartilage with its pericondirum after deskinning to its original anatomic place and covering it with a vascular structure of temproparietal fascia, then with full-thickness graft removed from the amputated ear.…”