[Repair of the auricular area after petrosectomy]

The authors report a retrospective series of 12 patients presenting periauricular tumors having invaded the external auditory canal and concha: 5 squamous cell carcinomas, 3 basal cell carcinomas, 2 Darrier-Ferrand sarcomas, 1 parotidean adenocarcinoma, 1 radionecrosis. The operation included an extralabyrinthic petrosectomy, an amputation of the pavilion, and a ganglionic evidement following a histological analysis. The reconstruction processes used 3 pedicle grafts and 9 free grafts. The carcinological extension modalities of the cancers invading the entire external auditory canal require the sacrifice of the tympanic cavity and an external temporalectomy in a single block for carcinological and functional reasons. The massive invasion of the concha inevitably leads to the sacrifice of the auricular pavilion. The best means of reconstruction is with the free graft of the musculus latissimus dorsi. The price to be pay esthetically must be reduced by the placement of an epithesis.