Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2005 Jul-Aug;29(4):251-4; discussion 255. doi: 10.1007/s00266-004-0136-z.

Question mark ear deformity and a modified surgical correction method: a case report.

Aesthetic plastic surgery

Haluk Vayvada, Can Karaca, Adnan Menderes, Mustafa Yilmaz

PMID: 16044239 DOI: 10.1007/s00266-004-0136-z

Abstract

Question mark ear (Cosman ear) deformity, a rare congenital malformation, is characterized by a cleft between the helix and the ear lobe and marked prominence of the auricles. Although the features of question mark ear deformity are well described in the literature, there is no definitive surgical technique for repair of this deformity, Several surgical methods have been introduced for the correction of the deformity. These techniques mainly provide for repair of the cleft between the helix and ear lobe. However, marked prominence of the upper auricle usually is also present with the cleft. We modified the surgical technique to correct the cleft and the upper prominence at the same time. With this procedure, the cleft is exposed by raising a vertical cutaneous flap based on the cleft on the posterior side of the ear, After anterior scoring to form the antihelix and cleft repair using an ipsilateral conchal cartilage graft, the cutaneous flap is used to cover the cartilage graft and the flap donor site is closed primarily to facilitate restoration of the antihelix. The authors report on a patient with Cosman ear and introduce their modified technique that can be used for repair of the cleft between the helix and ear lobe and the prominence of the upper helix in the same procedure.

MeSH terms

• Child, Preschool
• Ear Cartilage / abnormalities
• Ear Cartilage / surgery
• Ear, External / abnormalities
• Ear, External / surgery
• Humans
• Male
• Reconstructive Surgical Procedures / methods
• Surgical Flaps*
• Treatment Outcome

Publication Types

• Case Reports
• Journal Article