Aesthetic Refinement of the Dog Ear Correction: The 90° Incision Technique and Review of the Literature

Abstract

The closure of any circular or asymmetric wound results in puckering or excess of tissue known as dog ears. Tissue dynamics, wound geometry, surface contour, and surgical technique affect dog ear formation [1,2]. Despite good preoperative planning for skin management techniques including Burow's triangle, V-Y advancement flap, M-plasty [3], and S-plasty [4], and despite following intraoperative procedures including proper undermining of a shallow wound, proper 90° angle of the scalpel blade, precise suture placement, and removal of excess underlying fat, sometimes a dog ear occurs anyhow. Methods for correcting dog ears include excision of the excess tissue in the shape of a triangle, crescent or ellipse; excision of conical folds of tissue at the end of the wound in the same direction as the long axis of the original wound; and excision of the dog ear at a 120° angle to the long axis of the existing excision line in a shape resembling a hockey stick [5]. They are extensively described in the literature, but they all lead to wound extension. Only M-plasty allows for reduction in the scar's length but produces a double-tailed scar, so if the total length with the two tails is considered, the new scar is still longer than the original one. We have developed a new and easy technique for dog ear correction without extending the length of the original wound.