Microtia Reconstruction With Costal Cartilage: How I do it?

The correction of microtia, whether isolated or associated with other facial malformations, follows the same fundamental principle: sculpting a framework from autologous costal cartilage to replicate the contours of the normal ear and covering this framework with skin using the available local tissue. Cartilage carving can be mastered with training and continually refined through self-assessment. However, the skin coverage technique must be mastered from the outset, as complications at this stage can lead to poor outcomes that are difficult to correct. It is therefore essential to have a clear vision of the overall strategy, as well as its precise application to each individual case. Over the past 40 years and with more than 3000 cases operated on, Françoise Firmin and later myself, have encountered all the challenges and explored the solutions to address them. In this “How I do it?” article, the authors aim to share this experience, which will hopefully help to accelerate the learning curve.