An Optimizing Surgical Procedures for Correcting Severe Constricted Ears: Helix Costal Cartilage Scaffold Combined With V-Y Advanced Flap.

PURPOSE: A constricted ear is a deformity that is distinguished by curling of the upper portion of the ear, which includes the helix, scapha, and antihelix. The treatment for severely constricted ears seems to be quite invasive. To reduce invasiveness and fully utilize the folded cartilage, the authors used a helix costal cartilage scaffold combined with a single V-Y advanced flap in the correction of Tanzer type IIB constricted ear deformity to investigate the clinical effect.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2020 to 2021, autologous costal cartilage helix stent combined with local V-Y advanced flap was applied to correct the constricted ear malformation in 18 patients admitted to the Plastic Surgery Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

RESULTS: All patients were followed for a duration of 6 to 12 months (average 7 months). Reconstructed auricles were cosmetically satisfying, with a natural-looking helix and enlarged cavum conchae cavity, as well as auricle sizes that were close to normal and near symmetry between both ears.

CONCLUSIONS: With satisfactory clinical results, our technique can be used to repair types IIB cup ear deformities. It has a broad range of practical applications.