[Chest wall deformity following rib cartilage harvesting for auricular reconstruction]

Chest wall deformity is one of the potential complications of rib cartilage harvesting for auricular reconstruction. An eight year old boy underwent two stage microtia reconstruction using the 6th-9th costal cartilage for the 3-D cartilage framework. One year later an anterior chest wall deformity was noticed with bulging of the 5th rib, asymmetry of the lower rib cage line and deviation of the lower part of the sternum. The anterior chest wall is made of ribs, sternum and respiratory muscles forming a dynamic structure. By using these pieces of rib cartilage an imbalance is created in which the respiratory muscles pull the edges of the remaining ribs, thereby creating the deformity. It is especially critical during the growth phase. The 3-D CT scan demonstrates the chest deformity. We present a literature review and recommendations on how to reduce the complications when using rib cartilage for auricular reconstruction are presented.