[Surgical treatment and etiological analysis of polyotia].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the surgical treatment and pathologic mechanism of polyotia.

METHODS: The operative methods for polyotia were flexible. The main procedures were aimed at the remodeling of tragus with the redundant tissue. Tissue transplantation was used to correct the depression deformity. Compound auricular tissue transplantation and Z-plasty were used for correction of the malformation at the posterior part of polyotia.

RESULTS: From 2003 to 2008, 9 patients with polyotia were treated. The tragus was reconstructed after resection of redundant tissue. The depression deformity was corrected with tissue infilling in 6 cases. The compound auricular tissue transplantation was performed in 4 cases. Z-plasty at the lower ear lobe was performed in 2 cases. The appearance and the location of the reconstructed ears looked symmetric to the healthy ear.

CONCLUSIONS: Natural and symmetric appearance of reconstructed ear can be achieved in polyotia. The abnormal migration of neural crest cell might be the pathologic mechanism of polyotia.