8-AURICULAR RECONSTRUCTION BY COSTAL CARTILAGE GRAFT IN BASRAH PROVENCE

Abstract

Auricular reconstruction represents a meticulous reconstructive and aesthetic problem to theplastic surgeon. One of the greatest challenges in facial plastic surgery is total earreconstruction. The ability to reconstruct a fully satisfactory complete external ear has forcenturies been an elusive goal. The most promising field of advances with the hope ofeventually clinical utility lies in the realm of bioengineering with cultured cartilage.To date, no perfect material has been found to substitute for the sharply elastic cartilagenormally present in ear, the matter of total auricular reconstruction remain very complex,Prosthetic restoration is not favored by most but does remain available option for manypatients. Tissue engineers have waited to create a precise three dimensional auricularreconstruction neocartilage.Ten patients were operated upon for auricular reconstruction in Basrah Alsader TeachingHospital. The operation had 2 stages: First stage, creation and implantation of frameworkcartilage graft, which harvested from the 6th ,7th & 8th ribs. The second stage, was detachment ofthe constructed auricles ear lobe transposition and post auricular sulcus was defined byseparating the constructed auricle from the head covering the under surface with a thick splitthickness skin graft.The success rate was 90% with good and satisfactory result except in one case; there wasinfection with loss of the cartilage.