The study of using precise measurement to evaluate the outcomes after ear reconstruction

Abstract

Objective: Microtia ear reconstruction is one of the most challenging operations in plastic surgery, the aim of the present study is to use a new method to evaluate the results after ear reconstruction. Study design: Observational study. Setting: University hospital from December 2016 to January 2018. Subjects and methods: In total, 40 children underwent autologous ear reconstruction with three-stage technique, 20 patients who had a 3D digital template made for clinical application, and the other 20 who had undergone ear reconstruction with a 2D template, all of the subjects had been on a more than 3-months postoperative follow-up. For the auricle’s 20 precise measurements which count, combined with satisfaction questionnaires, a complete review of anatomic features, surgical results were performed. Results: The measurement results of the 3D model group remanufactured ear profile were more correlated with the measurement results of the healthy side ear profile, while the patients in the 3D model group were more satisfied with the reconstructed ear profile, which was consistent with the clinical actual results, and objectively reflected the effect of the patient after the operation. Conclusion: The application of 3D model is helpful to improve the effect of surgery, and the precise measurement evaluation method combined with the satisfaction questionnaire can reflect the patient's postoperative effect in a realistic and objective way. *Correspondence to: Sui-jun Chen, Department of Otolaryngology, Sun Yatsen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guang Zhou, China, Tel: +86 20 8133 2199; E-mail: chensuij@mail.sysu.edu.cn