Skin Flap to The Torn Earlobe

EDITORIAL COMMENT

Creating an immediate ear ring opening as one corrects a congenital or split ear lobe is done rarely. It is preferable to pierce a new hole secondarily, usually away from the linear suture line.

The earliest known reference to a flap concerned the repair of cleft earlobes (1). Cleft earlobe deformity may be congenital or acquired (2, 3, 4). Acquired cleft earlobe may be complete or incomplete (3, 5).

INDICATIONS

Repair of congenital cleft earlobe consists of excising the skin of the opposing surfaces of the cleft and approximating the two sides with or without a small Z-plasty within the suture line as it curves around the earlobe (1, 3, 6). Acquired cleft of the earlobe is usually due to a tear through the lobe by a sudden pull on an earring or by prolonged pull of a heavy earring.

Only gold members can continue reading. Log In or Register to continue