[Secondary surgery of the external ear]

Secondary surgeries of the external ear can be divided into two categories: secondary otoplasties and secondary ear reconstructions. The most frequent causes of secondary otoplasties are a recurrence, an over-corrected ear, an off-center ear, a prominent lobule, and finally chronic ear pain. Recurrence of the prominence can be treated by a new posterior stitch otoplasty, an Earfold clip, or a frame stitch. The over-corrected ear can be projected either by costal cartilage grafts or by hyaluronic acids. Patients who are unsatisfied of the aesthetic result of their prominent ear correction usually complain about an off-centered ear, because the ideal ear axis is parallel to the cheek. A prominent lobule can be corrected with a posterior stitch and a VY flap. Chronic ear pain can be significantly reduced by a protocol of physiotherapy with positive sensory feedback. In ear reconstruction, it is important preserve the retroauricular skin and the superficial temporal fascia, which are the workhorses of ear reconstruction. Secondary ear reconstructions are usually very complex procedures, which should be performed by specialists.