Partial Cutting Otoplasty: A Stable Technique for Prominent Ears

Prominent ears are a common deformity that can cause significant social and psychological distress, especially at a young age. Otoplasty changes the shape and, in some cases, the size of the ear, by working on two crucial points of the anatomy: the hypertrophy of the conchal bowl and the undeveloped antihelix fold. Generally speaking, there are two main approaches to auriculoplasty: cartilage cutting and cartilage sparing techniques; cartilage sparing techniques are safer but with limited aesthetic results. Despite the simplicity of this surgery, complications such as irreversible distortion of the anatomy, overcorrection, or recurrence are very frequent and have important consequences for facial aesthetics. A novel technique based on the perfect equilibrium between cartilage sparing and cartilage cutting technique is described. This method is based on three to four mattress sutures that reshape the antihelix, with a limited component of cartilage cutting and excision of the overdeveloped concha, avoiding high-tension sutures and scarring on the anterior surface of the ear. This technique was used on 150 ears from 2019 to 2023, with only three ears (2%) requiring revision. Rates of complications or recurrence were low. The presented technique appears to be a rapid, reproducible, and safe method for treating the prominent ear deformity, providing aesthetically pleasing results.

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