A comparative study on superior auricular artery island flaps with various pedicles for repair of periorbital defects

Superior auricular artery (SAA) island flaps elevated from the retroauricular region have perfect color, thickness, and texture match with facial skin. In this article, reconstruction of periorbital defects with SAA island flaps is presented. Flaps were categorized into three types because they were elevated on three different pedicles. A type 1 flap was a superficial temporal vessel pedicled SAA island flap with antegrade blood flow. A type 2 flap was a reverse flow SAA island flap based on the frontal branch of the superficial temporal artery (STA). A type 3 flap was a reverse flow SAA island flap based on the parietal branch of STA. Fourteen patients (9 females and 5 males) aged between 31 years and 74 years were treated with these flaps. Two patients with lower eyelid, two patients with upper eyelid, three patients with malar, two patients with infraorbital, one patient with lateral canthal upper eyelid, and four patients with forehead defects underwent surgical intervention. Sizes of the flaps varied between 3x6 cm and 8x6 cm. Venous congestion was observed in all patients in the early postoperative period and lasted for 5 to 9 (mean, 6.6) days in type 1 flap, 5 to 9 (mean, 6.7) days in type 2 flap, and 2 to 5 (mean, 3.6) days in type 3 flap. Apart from distal necrosis of 1x1 cm in one patient and superficial dermal sloughing in two patients, no complications were encountered. Aesthetically and functionally successful results with minimal donor site morbidity were obtained in all patients during the 2 to 22 (mean 10.8) month follow-up period.