Secondary ear reconstruction with cartilage grafts covered by axial, random, and free flaps of temporoparietal fascia.

Secondary ear reconstructions due to either previous surgical failures or severe traumatic injuries present a significant reconstructive challenge. In this paper we introduce an aggressive reconstructive approach in which radical scar excision is followed by immediate coverage of a newly sculpted cartilage framework with a temporoparietal fascial flap and skin graft. This approach evolved through experience with 40 patients who required secondary reconstructions due to either previous surgeries or trauma.