A New Guiding Suturing Technique for Reshaping of the Antihelix in Patients with Prominent Ears

Prominent ears are the most common congenital anomaly of the head and neck. A complete understanding of the definition of prominent ears is necessary. The present retrospective study described guiding sutures to hold the antihelix in a temporary corrected position before placing the permanent Mustardé sutures.

This study was performed between January 2021 and February 2023. All patients with prominent ear deformities subjected to guiding sutures and Mustardé-based otoplasty were included. The surgical-related outcomes and surgeons' satisfaction were evaluated. The patients' satisfaction and health-related quality of life were reported.

The current study included 60 patients with prominent ear deformities. There were 34 (56.66%) males and 26 (43.33%) females with a mean age of 12.2±7.8 years. The mean total operative time was 49±22 minutes. Five (8.33%) patients had suture extrusion, and no case of asymmetry, recurrence, or skin necrosis was documented. There were 55 (91.66%) patients satisfied with the final appearance of their ears, and five (8.33%) patients were not satisfied. The mean general health subscale was 57.1±6.9, and the mean physical health subscale was 8.7±1.5.

The guiding sutures allowed easy accessibility for reshaping the antihelix in patients with prominent ears. These sutures allowed a relatively shorter operative time, and stable reshaping of the antihelix allowed for a shorter recovery time. This was associated with a low complication rate with no asymmetry, recurrence, or revision surgery. Patients operated on under local anesthesia achieved shorter operative time and better pain control.

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