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Closure of conchal defects. The hinged retroconchal island flap with overlying cutaneous transposition flap
1Department of Surgery, St. Francis Medical Center, Cape Girardeau, Missouri 63703, USA.
Background:
Conchal defects secondary to surgical procedures or trauma often cannot be closed primarily.
Objective:
Tissue transfer for closure of defects must be tension free and not create a postauricular sulcus too shallow.
Methods:
A retroconchal island flap provides such a closure. A rhomboid transposition flap used to provide closure of the donor site retains the depth of the posterior sulcus.
Results:
The closure of the defect heals well within 4-6 weeks even in presence of scar tissue from multiple prior surgeries.
Conclusion:
The retronconchal island flap is a simple, reliable technique to close the defect of the concha without sacrificing the natural depth of the posterior sulcus.