A New Way for Antihelixplasty in Prominent Ear Surgery: Modified Postauricular Fascial Flap.

[BACKGROUND] Otoplasty procedures aim to reduce the concha-mastoid angle and recreate the antihelical fold. Here, we explained the modified postauricular fascial flap, described as a new way for recreating the antihelical fold, and reported the results of patients on whom this flap was used.

[MATERIALS AND METHODS] The defined technique was used on 24 patients (10 females and 14 males; age, 6-27 years; mean, 16.7 years) between June 2009 and July 2012, a total of 48 procedures in total (bilateral). Follow-up ranged from 1 to 3 years (mean, 1.5 years). At the preoperative and postoperative time points (1 and 12 months after surgery), all patients were measured for upper and middle helix-head distance and were photographed. The records were analyzed statistically using t test and analysis of variance.

[RESULTS] The procedure resulted in ears that were natural in appearance without any significant visible evidence of surgery. The operations resulted in no complications except 1 patient who developed a small skin ulcer on the left ear because of band pressure. When we compared the preoperative and postoperative upper and middle helix-head distance, there was a high significance statistically.

[CONCLUSIONS] To introduce modified postauricular fascial flap, we used a simple and safe procedure to recreate an antihelical fold. This procedure led to several benefits, including a natural-in-appearance antihelical fold, prevention of suture extrusion and granuloma, as well as minimized risk for recurrence due to neochondrogenesis. This method may be used as a standard procedure for treating prominent ears surgically.