[Reconstruction of the external ear in children. Contribution of the clay model cartilage sculpture].

The use of rib cartilage graft in ear reconstruction gives good cosmetic results after the age of 8. However three main conditions must be taken into account: 1) a perfect framework sculpture; 2) good quality of the skin in order to provide a soft tissue free of scars and able to drape the framework in all the details of the sculpture; 3) a soft but useful succion system allowing a good coaptation between the framework and the skin without vascular damage. Most of the surgical failures are due to skin scars which compromise the elasticity of the cutaneous pocket. The authors recommend to wait until the age of 8 before any surgery in order to keep the skin intact and to let the ribs grow. The problem of hearing can be treated as secondary.