Temporoparietal fascia flap for auricular reconstruction

Microtia is a congenital malformation of the auricle. The most common complication of microtia surgical repair is costal cartilage exposure. We describe the case of a patient with costal cartilage exposure and the use of temporoparietal fascia flap (TPFF) for covering purposes.

12-year-old male patient with right microtia undergoing two auricle reconstruction surgeries. One month following the second surgery, costal cartilage exposure was noted, with loss of grafted skin. A TPFF and a scalp skin graft were performed to cover the exposed cartilage.

An adequate and critical management of costal cartilage exposure is required to avoid cartilage reabsorption. TPFF represents a useful tool in ear reconstruction surgeries and should be considered in potential face reconstruction surgeries.