Hole-retaining Lobeplasty for Type I Ear Lobe Deformities

Area of Science:

• Plastic Surgery
• Aesthetic Medicine
• Reconstructive Surgery

Background:

• Type I incomplete split ear lobe deformities are often overlooked aesthetically.
• Existing techniques for large or split ear lobes are challenging for Type I deformities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a pilot study on hole-retaining lobeplasty for Type I ear lobe deformities.
• To evaluate postoperative outcomes using the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (GAIS) and patient satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving 6 patients with bilateral Type I split ear lobes.
• Postoperative review using descriptive statistics, GAIS score, and Likert scale patient satisfaction.

Main Results:

• No postoperative complications were observed in any patients.
• At 6-month follow-up, all patients had well-formed, circular ear holes and rounded lobes (average GAIS score: 4.83).
• High patient satisfaction reported, with an average satisfaction score of 4.8.

Conclusions:

• Hole-retaining lobeplasty is a simple, cost-effective, single-stage procedure for Type I split ear lobes.
• The technique yields aesthetically superior, circular, and centrally placed ear holes.
• It provides good lobe contour and support, preventing recurrence, and is easily reproducible for surgeons.