Auricular Cartilage

The ear is generally not a first choice as a cartilage graft donor site for several reasons, none of which is valid. When the graft is harvested anteriorly, the scar is well-concealed as long as the incision is placed within the rim of the conchal bowl. And, although no site can provide as much cartilage as the rib, the auricle can provide a surprisingly large amount of graft material. There is also characteristically minimal morbidity with the harvest of auricular cartilage. This distinguishes it from rib cartilage harvest, which may be accompanied by significant postoperative pain and occasionally pneumothorax. In addition, septal harvest may cause bleeding, saddling of the nose symptomatic of septal perforation, and other airflow disturbances. The most important and major problem with ear cartilage is the flaccidity inherent in its structure. This makes it a poor choice when significant structural support is mandatory.