Postauricular myocutaneous flap in otologic surgery

Management of a large mastoid defect resulting from skull base operations or extensive surgical procedures because of chronic ear disease continues to challenge the otologic surgeon. Various local muscle or periosteal rotation flaps have been used to help reduce the size of the postoperative mastoid cavity. With these techniques there are problems with flap retraction and epithelization that may result in delayed healing or chronic drainage. Closure of the ear canal and tissue obliteration of the mastoid results in a maximal conductive hearing loss. A postauricular myocutaneous flap based on the occipital artery and sternocleidomastoid muscle has been used effectively to reconstruct mastoid defects after both surgical procedures for chronic ear disease and skull base operations. The skin muscle flap reduces the mastoid cavity and promotes rapid healing of the surgical defect. Although postauricular myocutaneous flaps have been found to be reliable, their viability may be compromised by arterial embolization used in larger glomus tumors. Indications for and creation of a postauricular myocutaneous flap, with results in 18 cases, are presented.