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Cryptotia Repair Using a Modified V-Y Advancement Flap with Helix Rounding Technique

  • Original Article
  • Facial Surgery
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Abstract

Background

Cryptotia is a common congenital auricular malformation seen in Asian people. To date, multiple surgical procedures have been described for correcting cryptotia. However, the deformity often recurs, presenting as an unclear auriculotemporal sulcus and a malformed helix. The present study aimed to introduce a novel surgical approach to obtain a stable and aesthetic auricular correction in cryptotia patients and to acquire an understanding toward improved surgical management of cryptotia.

Methods

Twenty-four cryptotia patients (28 ears), who were operated between April 2018 and November 2021, were included in this study. All patients underwent surgical correction for cryptotia using a modified V-Y advancement flap with helix rounding technique, performed by a senior surgeon.

Results

Patients were followed for an average period of 9.4 months (6 to 18 months). Twenty-one patients (87.5%) were satisfied, three (12.5%) were partially satisfied, and none were unsatisfied. Most patients experienced temporary edema as a postsurgical complication, which resulted in a swollen auricle appearance lasting for three to four weeks postoperatively. One patient experienced skin necrosis in one ear on the anterior portion of the upper helix and this was solved by skin grafting.

Conclusions

The method of surgical correction utilizing a modified V-Y advancement flap with helix rounding technique proved to be a reliable option in cryptotia patients. It can provide stable aesthetic results after cryptotia correction in clinical practice.

Level of Evidence IV

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Acknowledgment

Hanbo Li and Qing Sun have contributed equally and should be considered as co-first authors. This work was supported in part by grants from the Special Research Fund for Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (Grant Number YS202028 to Tun Liu) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81701930 to Bingqing Wang) and the Education Foundation of Peking Union Medical College (Grant Number YS202041 for Qi Chen).

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and publication of this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College Plastic Surgery Hospital and Institute, 33 Badachu Road, Shi**gshan District, Bei**g, China

    Hanbo Li, Qing Sun, Yue Wang, ** Qian, Bingqing Wang, Qingguo Zhang & Tun Liu

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  1. Hanbo Li
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  2. Qing Sun
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  3. Yue Wang
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  4. ** Qian
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  5. Bingqing Wang
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  6. Qingguo Zhang
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  7. Tun Liu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tun Liu.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and publication of this article.

Ethical Standard

The study followed the Declaration of HELSINKI for ethical and was approved by the institutional review board of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Bei**g, People’s Republic China. This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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Li, H., Sun, Q., Wang, Y. et al. Cryptotia Repair Using a Modified V-Y Advancement Flap with Helix Rounding Technique. Aesth Plast Surg 47, 640–646 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-022-03050-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-022-03050-y

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