Partial auricular reconstruction surgery for facial skin cancer

Auricular defects resulting from excision of cutaneous malignancies pose a challenge to the reconstructive surgeon due to the complex anatomy, convexities, and concavities of the ear. A surgeon must be familiar with analyzing defects of the ear and understand the variety of reconstructive options available with the goals of restoring function, re-establishing anatomic units, and achieving aesthetic balance. This review summarizes current methods for reconstruction of partial auricular defects resulting from neoplasm. A brief overview of ear anatomy and aesthetic relationships is also provided. Techniques for the reconstruction are classified by anatomic region: upper-third, middle-third, and lower-third defects.