RECONSTRUCTION OF STENOTIC EXTERNAL AUDITORY-CANAL WITH A POSTAURICULAR CHONDROCUTANEOUS FLAP

Acquired stenosis of the external auditory canal may result from various causes, including trauma, burns, and inflammation. Treatment of this deformity has been difficult. When the canal is reconstructed with a skin graft, it is subject to restenosis.1 Since reconstruction with a flap is more reliable, various techniques using local random-pattern flaps have been reported. However, no reports have been published in the literature describing the use of an axial-pattern flap in reconstructing a stenotic external auditory canal. We report a case of reconstruction of a stenotic external auditory canal following a burn injury using a postauricular chondrocutaneous flap vascularized by the postauricular vessels. © 1994 American Society of Plastic Surgeons.