Surgical Treatment of Auricular Malignancies When the Anterior or Posterior Skin Is Intact

Abstract

The layers of the auricle from front to back were addressed, respectively, as follows: anterior skin, anterior perichondrium, cartilage, posterior perichondrium, and posterior skin. Thus, if a tumor on the auricle was holding 4 of these 5 layers and not holding the anterior or posterior skin, whether it was marginally located or stabilized in the mid parts, without having to apply complete resection, the intact parts were preserved, and the defect area was repaired with full-thickness skin graft. I practiced this method on a total of 17 patients, and histopathologic analysis showed that 13 of the patients had squamous cell carcinoma, 2 had Bowen disease, 1 had basocellular carcinoma, and 1 had granulomatous chondritis. I observed the patients for 7 years at the most. Auricular amputation, partial or total, is not a pretty decision and should not be made unless certainly necessary.