Successful reconstruction surgery for ear defect

An 18 year old boy was brought to our hospital by his parents for complete reconstruction of his ear defect. He had a large button-holing defect in the helix of his left ear due to which he was teased a lot and it affected his self-confidence.

Maxillofacial Surgeon Dr. S.M. Balaji skillfully performed the surgical ear reconstruction in 2 stages. In the first stage the specialized island flap was raised just behind the ear and the edges of the button holing defect in the pinna of the ear was cut. The defective pinna of the ear was sutured with the island flap behind the ear. In the second stage after 6 months, the pinna of the ear was separated from the flap behind the ear and the detached region was sutured. The size of the defect was measured using lint and the required size of skin graft was harvested to close the raw plane of the ventral surface of the ear and it was sutured by means of quilting technique to avoid spacing between the skin graft and recipient site and seroma formation. Thus total reconstruction was done without much surgical scars. Results are immediate and we will update this case by post operative photos with complete healing later. 

Pre operative view showing button hole defect in pinna of the left ear

The defective region was surgically operated by placing a cut in the margins

Region just behind the ear was marked and flap raised and the pinna of the ear was attached and sutured

In the second stage the pinna of the ear was surgically lifted and the excised region was sutured

Skin graft of exactly same size of the defect was harvested from the hip region

Skin graft was sutured to the pinna of the ear by quilting technique