OBJECTIVETo present the operation for nose defect reconstruction using a retroauricular free flap and the auricle cartilage.

METHODSBased on the anatomy and blood supply of the retroauricular region, a flap was designed and harvested with the posterior auricular vessels as its pedicle. The flap was used to repair nose defects in five patients. Of them, three had unilateral subtotal alinasal defects, one had nasal apex defect, and one had defects on nasal apex and bilateral ala. The size of the defect ranged from 2.5 cm x 1.5 cm to 3.0 cm x 4.0 cm. The flap varied between 3.0 cm x 2.0 cm and 4.5 cm x 3.5 cm. In 4 cases, the auricular cartilage of 2.0 cm x 1.5 cm to 1.5 cm x 1.0 cm was taken along with the flap. The posterior auricular vessels were anastomosed with the facial vessels. The donor site was covered with full-thickness skin graft.

RESULTSPostoperatively, the blood supply to the flaps was fairly good in 3 cases, while there was various venous stasis in 2 cases during the first 4 days. However, the postoperative results of the 5 cases were satisfactory.

CONCLUSIONSThe retroauricular free flap is a good choice for partial nose reconstruction, which had the merits of well-hidden donor site, good color match, and one-stage operation.