A BOLSTER SUTURE TECHNIQUE FOR EAR RECONSTRUCTION FOR MICROTIA WITHOUT SKIN NECROSIS

A new bolster suture technique to prevent skin necrosis in microtia ea r reconstruction is presented, An outer series of bolsters is placed d istant from the ear framework in a zigzag fashion, the temporal skin b eing gathered on the framework. In this way, the skin flap overlying t he framework is relaxed and has sufficient blood flow. Therefore the s kin flap can be thinned with little risk of necrosis. Furthermore, the contour of the reconstructed auricle is accentuated because of the th in relaxed overlying skin. Seven ears with microtia were reconstructed using this method. The results were satisfactory, except for one auri cle which became slightly congested at the conchal portion due to exce ssive thinning. There were no haematomas or skin necrosis.