Primary Reattachment of Near-Complete Ear Amputation: A Successful Outcome.

OBJECTIVES

Traumatic amputation of the ear constitutes a great aesthetic deformity that can have a tremendous negative impact. Reports describing the survival of near-complete ear amputation using non-microsurgical replantation are scarce. We aimed to study the surgical outcome of patients with near-complete ear amputations supplied by small pedicle bridges that were treated with primary reattachment.

METHODS

We retrospectively studied patients with near-complete ear amputation who were admitted at Al Ain Hospital from January 2016 to December 2019.

RESULTS

Five patients were studied. The most common mechanism of injury was motor vehicle injury, followed by cutting injury. The skin pedicle was inferior in 3 (60%) patients of patients. The median width of the skin pedicles was 8.5 mm. The median interval between the injury and the surgical management was 4 hours. All patients underwent primary reattachment of the ear without microsurgery. One patient developed a small area of necrosis of the ear lobe. All patients recovered with a completely healed pinna and satisfactory overall appearance.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary reattachment without microsurgery of the near-complete ear amputation can be safely performed in the presence of an intact skin pedicle. It can achieve an aesthetically satisfactory outcome without severe complications.