Question Mark Ear Deformity and a Modified Surgical Correction Method

Abstract

The authors present another type of correction for a relatively rare congenital ear deformity aptly named by Cosman et al. [1,2], the ‘‘question mark ear.’’ The authors appropriately describe the defect as a deficiency of tissue at the junction of the ear lobe and helical rim and adjacent scapha (root of the helix), resulting in a partial cleft associated with varying degrees of protrusion of the ear itself. In the single case described, the authors used a technique of elevating a posterior subcutaneous skin flap based laterally over a free graft of cartilage from the underlying concha to restore helical rim continuity. With this technique, the flap is rolled up to cover the grafted cartilage, and the skin flap donor site is closed, as depicted in their illustration. Unlike some other methods using either a Z plasty or multiple interdigitating flaps, the authors 1 technique results in surgical scars on only the posterior surface of the ear, which is commendable