Reconstruction of a severely gashed auricle using two-stage cartilage preservation surgery following auricular composite graft failure: a case report

Abstract

After the failure of a composite graft in a patient with complete auricle amputation, we successfully reconstructed the severely gashed auricle using two-stage cartilage preservation surgery. We removed the skin of the amputee and buried the cartilage under the postauricular scalp. The end of the right ear was sutured to the postauricular scalp. A separation surgery was performed on the 14th day after the burying surgery. After removing the suture, the cartilage along with the postauricular scalp was carefully separated from the postauricular donor site under local anesthesia. Using two-stage cartilage preservation surgery, we successfully reconstructed the severely gashed auricle and achieved cosmetically and functionally satisfactory results.

Keywords

• reconstruction
• cartilage preservation surgery
• auricle amputation
• case reports