Reconstruction of post-traumatic lateral part of helix cartilage defect without skin involvement: A case report

We present a successful case of reconstructing a traumatic ear injury in a 71-year-old lady. The patient presented with a severely damaged right ear, involving cartilage exposure and fragmentation without skin loss. Initially, the wound was debrided and closed by the physician at the emergency department. Afterwards, the patient was discharged from the hospital. During a follow-up visit at the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) outpatient department the next day, a hematoma and a defect were identified in the lateral part of the helix of the right ear. Surgical intervention was performed for the reconstruction of the post-traumatic lateral part of helix cartilage defect and wound debridement. Since the loss of cartilage at the lateral part of the helix markedly affected her facial appearance, cartilage from the root of the helix was transplanted to reconstruct the defect. At the one-month follow-up, the wound appeared nicely healed. The outer ear cartilage returned grossly to its natural shape, with only a slight impact on the root of Helix. The patient expressed a high level of satisfaction. From the author's perspective, the cosmetic outcome showed a remarkable improvement postoperatively, with restoration of the natural auricular contour. This reflects the significant success of the surgical technique in restoring the auricle's natural appearance. This case report demonstrates the successful reconstruction of a post-traumatic defect in the superior lateral part of the helix cartilage without skin involvement. The primary objective of this surgical approach was to restore the auricle's anatomical structure, functionality, and aesthetics. By utilizing cartilage from the root of the helix, we achieved a seamless and natural reconstruction, resulting in high patient satisfaction.