Advances in the treatment of microtia

Introduction

The treatment of congenital auricular deformities is one of the most difficult procedures in facial reconstructive surgery. A comprehensive understanding of the intrinsic nuances of the auricular architecture is essential to microtia repair, but is no guarantee of a final result. Even the most artistically carved costal cartilage graft or alloplastic implant can result in a mediocre appearance due to skin thickness, wound healing, and scarring. Microtia reconstruction with either autologous costal cartilage or porous polyethylene still does not equal the appearance seen with auricular prosthetics. Ultimately, tissue engineering may provide an auricular framework suitable for microtia reconstruction from human chondrocytes.

 

The full article is in:

Current Opinion in Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery 2006,14:412–422