• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.135-138
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• 2012

Purpose: Reconstruction of the cleft earlobe is challenging. Several procedures are available to reconstruct congenital earlobe deformities. However, for large defective type, surgical procedures and designs are complex and tend to leave a visible scar. We present a simple method of reconstruction for defective type congenital cleft earlobe using a one stage technique with infraauricular transposition flap. This allows for easy and accurate size estimation and good aesthetic outcomes. Methods: A 4-year-old male patient has congenital cleft earlobe and antihelical deformity. Otoplasty for antihelical deformity correction and one stage infra-auricular transposition flap for earlobe reconstruction were performed. The flap was designed from the inferoanterior margin of the earlobe. The size of the flap was determined based on the normal side, and the width and length of the flap was 1 cm and 3 cm in size, respectively. An incision was made at the midline of the defective lobule. Further, the elevated flap was inserted. The elevated flap and the incision margins of the lobule were sutured together. Then, the donor site was closed primarily. Results: The volume and shape of the reconstructed earlobe were natural. There was no flap necrosis. The donor site had no morbidities and scar was not easily notable. Conclusion: Infra-auricular transposition flap can be designed easily and offer sufficient volume of earlobe. Furthermore, the scar is inconspicuous. In conclusion, infra-auricular transposition flap can be a good option for reconstructing a large defect type cleft earlobe.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.811-813
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• 2009

Purpose: Congenital cleft earlobe is relatively rare malformation and defective type congenital cleft earlobes are reconstructed with mainly local flap methods rather than primary closure or z - plasty. Various methods are introduced but many of these remain visible scars or require complex operative techniques. We designed a new and simple method of reconstruction for defective type cleft earlobe. Methods: On the posterior surface of the auricle and mastoid area, S - shaped line was drawn continuously. One arc is for turnover hinge flap to make the anterolateral surface of the earlobe, and the other is for transposition flap to reconstruct the posterolateral surface. The donor site of the transposition flap was closed primarily. Results: Four patients were operated by S - shaped flap design method. They were all female and two were right side and others were left. We obtained aesthetically satisfactory postoperative results with inconspicuous scars at the posterior side of the auricle. In one case, minor revision was performed because of insufficient blood supply of the hinge flap. Conclusion: We can reconstruct defective type cleft earlobe with new, simple S - shaped design for hinge flap and transposition flap.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.277-281
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• 2017

Traumatic cleft earlobes are a common problem encountered by plastic and reconstructive surgeons. Various techniques have been reported for the repair of traumatic cleft earlobes. Usually, the techniques of split earlobe repair are divided into two categories, namely straight- and broken-line repairs. Straight-line repair is simple and easy, but scar contracture frequently results in notching of the inferior border of the lobule. It can be avoided by the broken-line repair such as Z-plasty, L-plasty, or a V-shaped flap. Between April 2016 and February 2017, six patients who presented with traumatic cleft earlobe underwent surgical correction using a combination of the inverted V-shaped excision technique and vertical mattress suture method. All the patients were female and had a unilateral complete cleft earlobe. No postoperative notching of the inferior border the lobule occurred during 6-16 months of follow-up. Without the use of a broken-line repair, both the patients and the operators attained aesthetically satisfactory results. Therefore, the combination of the inverted V-shaped excision technique and vertical mattress suture method is considered useful in the treatment of traumatic cleft earlobes.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.423-426
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• 2017

Congenital auricular deformities may be either deformational or malformational. Malformational anomalies present with a skin or cartilage shortage. Two cases with congenital cleft earlobe were presented. A new surgical technique using a two-layered repair with front and back flaps were introduced. She waited to begin wearing earrings until six months after the surgery to prevent possible scar contracture. The patients were followed up for a period ranging from 3 to 14 months. The earlobe volume deficiency was replaced, and acceptable scar maturation was obtained.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.58-60
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• 2013

Keloids result from excessive production of fibrous tissue during an abnormal wound healing process. Keloids can occur after trauma, and trauma can range from laceration, piercing, bites, surgery, and burns, to other skin conditions such as acne or folliculitis. We present a case of 68-year-old man, which was characterized with a relatively firm, non-tender, mild pigmented mass in his right earlobe. We performed a local excision, together with microscopic analysis. The mass was eventually diagnosed as a keloid scar in the right earlobe. Postoperative adjuvant pressure therapy using magnets was adopted and the postoperative follow-up was maintained without any recurrence. Auricular keloids should be considered in the differential diagnosis regardless of the cause or the age of patient.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.187-189
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• 2022

Patients with pixie ear have an attached, tapering, and low-set earlobe. Traditional methods usually describe excision of the caudal portion of the lobule and reattachment in a more superior position. The present report suggests a simplified skin redraping method for correction of pixie ear. The procedure provides easy method to design and perform, which only requires elevation and trimming of the skin. Other ancillary procedures, such as flap design, anchoring, plication, and subdermal fixation, are not required. This method produces satisfactory results. Postoperative scar is invisible because the incision is on the retroauricular region, and the corrected earlobe has a more natural appearance than the repositioned earlobe. Moreover, skin redraping avoids tension, which contributes to minimization of the postoperative scar.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.205-209
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• 2018

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an uncommon neuroendocrine cutaneous tumor with poor prognosis. It has the high rate of recurrence, mortality, regional nodal involvement, and distant metastases. It is difficult to diagnose MCC because of its non-specific clinical findings. It usually occurs on sun-exposed areas of the skin, mostly at head and neck. There is a difference in the incidence and prognosis according to site in the head and neck. However, there is no consented site-specific diagnosis, treatment or follow-up protocol for MCC at the head and neck. We herein report a case of MCC arising in the right earlobe of an otherwise healthy young man who has been diagnosed early, thereby successfully treated. With our closed follow-up, there was no tumor recurrence or complication at 33 months after diagnosis.