Long-Term Outcome of Medpor Implantants for Auricular Reconstruction

Introduction: Auricular malformation or aurical amputation can be reconstructed by either autologous costal cartilage graft or by alloplastic implants such as medpor. This retrospective study presents the complications of medpor implants. Methods: The outcome of auricular reconstructions with medpor was examined and evaluated. Results: During the years 2006 to 2017 medpor implants with a temporoparietal facia flap were used in 20 patients for auricular reconstruction. 15 patients were male and 5 female. 17 patients suffered from microotia grad III which was associated with an external auditory canal atresia and/or part of a syndrom such as Goldenharr or Francschetti. Only 3 patients suffered from previous traumatic amputation of the ear. In 50% of the cases patients had to undergo explantation of the medpor implants due to wound healing defects within 3 years, the longest in 11 years. Those patient's ears were reconstructed either by autologous costal cartilage graft or by ear epithesis. Conclusions: The overall aim of auricular reconstruction is to reduce the psychosocial stigma of malformation or amputation on the long-term. In our study this was only achieved in 50% of the cases by using medpor implants with temporoparietal facia flap and following the recommendations of Reinisch. From our point of view there is only a limited indication critera for auricular reconstruction with medpor implants. Publication History Publication Date: 18 April 2018 (online) © 2018. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York