Three-dimensional reconstruction of the congenital cleft of the ear lobule with lipo-dermal flap.

Abstract

Objectives-Because of the variable amount of deficit of tissue in cleft ear lobule, Reconstruction of Congenital clefts of ear lobule is challenging so treatment of congenital clefts of ear lobule needs customization to deal with the deficient volume of tissue in three dimensions (thickness, length, and width). In this series, we describe the three-dimensional reconstruction of the congenital cleft of the ear lobule with lipo-dermal flap and the evaluation of clinical outcomes in terms of the aesthetic expectation of the patient. Materials and methods- Patients of all age groups and gender who presented with fresh congenital cleft of ear lobule underwent Three-dimensional reconstruction with lipo-dermal flap from 2017 to 2022 were included. We used customized repair for deficient tissue of the congenital cleft of the lobule by de-epithelizing skin of all cleft surfaces and raising lipo-dermal flap. Results- Out of (06) cases, one case was male and 5 cases were females, with an average age group of 20.16 years. 33.33% of the congenital cleft of lobule was presented with three lobes and 66.6% of cases presented with two lobes. The aesthetical appearance was assessed as per criteria and was found good in 83.3% and very good in 16.6% of cases. Conclusions- Three- dimensional reconstruction of the congenital cleft of the ear lobule with lipo-dermal flap is a simple and effective technique to correct lobule deformities in proportion to the extent of the cleft and yields an aesthetically good pleasing ear lobule which matches with opposite side ear without complications.