Tanaka K, Yano T, Homma T, Tsunoda A, Aoyagi M, Kishimoto S, Okazaki M. A new method for selecting auricle positions in skull base reconstruction for temporal bone cancer.
Laryngoscope 2018;
128:2605-2610. [PMID:
29574745 DOI:
10.1002/lary.27170]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Revised: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
In advanced temporal bone carcinoma cases, we attempted to preserve as much of the auricle as possible from a cosmetic and functional perspective. Difficulties are associated with selecting an adequate position for reconstructed auricles intraoperatively. We improved the surgical procedure to achieve a good postoperative auricle position.
METHODS
Nine patients were included in this study. All patients underwent subtotal removal of the temporal bone and resection of the external auditory canal while preserving most of the external ear, and lateral skull base reconstruction was performed with anterolateral thigh flaps. We invented a new device, the auricle localizer, to select the correct position for the replaced external ear. The head skin incision line and two points of three-point pin fixation were used as criteria, and a Kirschner wire was shaped as a basic line to match these criteria. Another Kirschner wire was shaped by wrapping it around the inferior edge of the external ear as the positioning line, and these two lines were then combined. To evaluate the postoperative auricle position, the auricle inclination angle was measured using head frontal cephalogram imaging.
RESULTS
The external ear on the affected side clearly drooped postoperatively in nonlocalizer cases, whereas this was not obvious in localizer cases. Auricle inclination angles 1 year after surgery significantly differed between these two cases (P = 0.018).
CONCLUSION
The surgical device, the auricle localizer, is useful for selecting intraoperative accurate auricle positions. The assessment index, the auricle inclination angle, is useful for quantitatively evaluating postoperative results.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE
4 Laryngoscope, 2605-2610, 2018.
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