"Practical suggestions on facial plastic surgery--how i do it". Z-plasty repositioning of an anatomical unit.

The Z-Plasty was originally described in the writings of Hippocrates and since that time has developed into one of the most useful techniques in facial plastic surgery. Familiarity with its myriad of uses is invaluable to the practicing otolaryngologist. The basic technique of Z-Plasty consists in the design and transposition of adjacent triangular soft tissue flaps. Most common applications capitalize on the changes which occur during transposition to the common limb between the flaps. The resultant lengthening is used to provide needed tissue in areas of contracted scars and the change in direction is useful in camouflage of scars which cross skin tension lines. Additionally, displaced anatomical units such as the auricle, angle of the mouth or eyelid can be included in the flaps of the Z-Plasty to transpose them into a new anatomical position. Many congenital and acquired deformities can be corrected by this technique without loss of valuable tissue. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the above principle utilizing two patients with congenitally displaced auricles.