Otoplasty: results of a modified form of Mustardé's method

In order to investigate the results obtained after surgical treatment of prominent ears with a modified method basically derived from the technique of Mustardé 340 patients had been interrogated and 150 had been examined postoperatively. In 91.4% of the cases the patients themselves and in 84.7% the surgeon was satisfied by the postoperative result. Recurrence was observed in 17% and was due partly to the intermittent use of a resorbable suture material. In some cases recurrence consisted in a slight asymmetry, that was not really disturbing and did not need a further correction. A fundamental advantage of our surgical method is the fact that the cartilage has not to be destroyed, so that ugly and unnatural rims are avoided as well as some further postoperative complications (othematoma, perichondritis, pain and sensibility to the cold). Revision surgery even by another technique is always possible because the cartilage is left intact.