Endoscopic assisted otoplasty: a preliminary report.

The use of endoscopy in facial aesthetic surgery, especially the browlift, is becoming well accepted. We report on the use of an endoscopic assisted technique to correct prominent ears in 10 patients. The instruments were inserted through scalp incisions. No skin excision was performed. The posterior (medial) cartilage surface was weakened by abrasion with a custom-made abrader to create a new antihelical fold. Nonabsorbable sutures were inserted through one or two postauricular stab incisions to appose the scaphal cartilage and the mastoid fascia to hold the new fold. Surgical technique, results and advantages of the operation are discussed. A new classification of prominent ears was used in patient selection for the procedure.