Preventing Suture Extrusion and Recurrence in Mustarde and Furnas Otoplasties by Using Laterally Based Postauricular Dermal Flap, Long-Term Results.

BACKGROUND: Prominent ear deformity (PD) is an unacceptable condition of pinna that affects 5% of the population and is associated with emotional stress, behavioral disturbances, and social restrictions in relationships. Conchal hypertrphy, inadequate formation of antihelical fold, earlobe placement ahead than it should be, or various combinations of these changes are main characteristics of PD. Many surgical techniques have been described for the PD.The authors' aim was to present laterally based postauricular dermal flap combination with cartilage-sparing methods and effectiveness of this technique in suture extrusion prevention and reducing the rate of recurrence with long-term results.

METHODS: Forty-one patients had bilateral and 6 patients had unilateral PD, a total of 47 patients with a mean age of 14.48 were operated by using this combined procedure. A laterally based supraperichondrial dermal flap was prepared from a deepithelized elliptical postauricular incision. Mustarde and Furnas suture techniques were used solely for PD correction. The dissected laterally based dermal flap was fixed to the mastoid bone with sutures in stretched position after reshaping the auricular cartilage with sutures.

RESULTS: The average helix-mastoid distance was (mm) 16.28 ± 2.36, concha-mastoid angle was 25.71 ± 0.96° on 12-month measurements. The helix-mastoid distance showed an increase of 1 to 3 mm, in the concha-mastoid angle measurements of 1° to 2°. Statistically significant changes were observed between the average preoperative, postoperative 1. month, postoperative 12. month helix-mastoid distances (mm), and month concha-mastoid angle (°) measurements (P = 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS: The laterally based postauricular dermal flap technique is an effective method to prevent suture extrusion and recurrence which are the most important complications of otoplasty procedure and easy to apply.