Reconstruction of the Amputated Auricle with Retro Auricular Flap in the Three Acts After a Human Bite.

Abstract

Amputations of the earlobe after a human bite are rare. But when they appear, they present a challenge for the plastic surgeon, due to its reconstruction since the earlobe is anatomically built only from skin and cartilage. In these cases, the retro auricular flap represents a perfect solution for reconstruction. We will present a 25-year-old man with amputation of the lower half of the earlobe, caused after a human bite injury. We have decided to reconstruct the amputated part of the auricle in 3 (acts) with a retro auricular flap. The skin is removed from the amputated part of the auricle and the (cartilage part) is implanted in the pocket created in the retro auricular region. Then in the second act, the retro auricular flap is raised with the previously implanted cartilage graft. By contrast, in the third act, the retro auricular flap is separated and the auricle defect is closed. The second defect is covered with a full skin graft. The reconstruction in 3 acts, delay procedure, of the auricle defects with retro auricular flap represents a satisfactory and very acceptable solution for the patient, not only from the reconstructive aspect but also from the aesthetic aspect.