The three-bite technique: a novel method of dog ear correction.

Abstract

The closure of any circular or asymmetric wound can result in puckering or an excess of tissue known as a 'dog ear'. Understanding the mechanism of dog ear formation is a fundamental requirement necessary to facilitate an appropriate treatment. Many solutions have been reported in the literature, but in all cases, the correction entails the extension of the scar and the sacrifice of the dermal plexus. Here, we propose a novel technique of dog ear correction by using a three-bite suture that sequentially pierces the deep fascial plane and each dog ear's margin, thus allowing for flattening the dog ear by anchoring the over-projecting tissue to the deep plane. The three-bite technique proved to be a fast, easy, and versatile method of immediate dog ear correction without extending the scar, while maintaining a full and complete local skin blood supply.