[Reconstruction of the pavilion of the ear after burns]

Severe sequelae from facial burns, usually morphologic in type, include lesions affecting the pinna of the ear. Reconstructive surgery encounters very variable difficulties mainly related to the site, extent and effect on adjacent tissues of the lesion. Surgical treatment by partial otopoiesis often gives satisfactory results, but this is rarely the case after total or subtotal otopoiesis. In these cases, in fact, the often long surgical process which is a frequent cause of breaking down of adjacent tissue, when this can be used, rarely gives satisfactory results. Facial plastic prosthesis introduction is therefore of major interest, once the difficult problem of fixation of the prosthesis of the pinna has been resolved. All available therapeutic means should be employed to rehabilitate patients with disfigurement due to burns, while informing them of the difficulties and limits of therapy.