Objective To investigate the method and effectiveness of two-stage operation of auricular reconstruction in treating lobule-type microtia. Methods Between March 2007 and April 2010, 19 patients (19 ears) of lobule-type microtia were treated. There were 13 males and 6 females, aged 5 to 27 years (mean, 12.6 years). Of 19 patients, 11 were less than or equalto 14 years old. The locations were left ear in 9 cases and right ear in 10 cases. Two-stage operation for auricular reconstruction of lobule-type microtia included fabrication and grafting of the costal cartilage framework at the first-stage operation and the ear elevation operation at the second-stage operation. Results Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection occurred in 1 patient after the first-stage operation, who was not given the second-stage operation. Skin necrosis occurred in 1 patient 8 days after the secondstage operation and healed after symptomatic treatment. Eighteen patients were followed up 6 months to 2 years (mean，14 months). Retraction of cranioauricular angle and thoracic deformity occurred in 1 patient. The surgical results were satisfactory in the other 17 patients whose reconstructive ear had verisimilar shape and suitable cranioauricular angle. Conclusion Twostage operation of auricular reconstruction is considered to be an ideal method for lobule-type microtia.
In order to decrease the risk of operation, complete release of scar tissue and reduce the recurrence after operation, from February 1994 to March 1997, seventy-three cases of severe cicatricical adhesion on the submental-thoracic region were treated with release and resection of scar tissue, and delay skin graft. The grafted skin was survived completely after operation. The result from the release of scar tissue of the cervical region was good. The physiological angle of submental-thoracic angle was recovered. It was thought that two-stage operation for submental-thoracic cicatricial adhesion would decrease the risk of operation and be advantageous to the release of contracted soft tissue of anterior cervical region and reduce the recurrence of contracture. The interval between the two stages of the operation was 2 to 3 days, which did not increase the rate of infection of the wound. The shortcomings including increase of pain to patient and prolong the time in hospital.