Complication outcomes in retroauricular interpolated flaps after Mohs surgery: A single-center retrospective study

Stage-specific complication rates and risk factor data for retroauricular interpolated flaps (RIFs) remain unreported.

To define the complication profile of RIFs and identify patient- and procedure-specific predictors of overall complication risk.

A total of 417 consecutive cases of RIFs to reconstruct Mohs micrographic surgery auricular defects from January 2006 to March 2025 were identified from a prospectively managed, single-center database. The primary outcome was postoperative complication rate. Secondary outcomes compared complication rates following flap placement versus takedown and investigated risk factors associated with complications.

Aggregate complication rate of staged RIFs was 15.1% (63/417 patients). When comparing surgical stages, bleeding complications were ninefold more likely to occur following flap placement than following takedown, whereas surgical site infections were twofold more likely following takedown than after placement. Diabetes was associated with a twofold increase in odds of complication. Each 1 cm² in postoperative defect size was associated with a 6% increase in odds of complication. Cartilage grafts, intermediate stages, immunosuppression, and antithrombotic use were not associated with increased odds of complication.

This was a retrospective, single-center study.

Procedure stage, diabetes, and defect size are key predictors of complications in RIF repair and should guide risk reduction efforts to optimize surgical outcomes.