OBJECTIVEA reversed superficial temporal artery auricular flap was presented to explore a new method for reconstructing the defects of the distal nose by microsurgical techniques.

METHODSA reversed superficial temporal artery auricular flap had been used on fifteen patients with nasal defects, including thirteen patients with alar defects and two patients with nasal tip defects. The reversed superficial temporal vessels of the flap were anastomosed with the recipient facial vessels. The size of the flap was 2.5 cm x 2. 0 cm - 4.0 cm x 2.5 cm, the length of the vascular pedicle was 5 - 8 cm, average 6.5 cm

RESULTSThe flap survived uneventfully in all fifteen patients.

RESULTSdemonstrated satisfactory symmetry between the reconstructed ala and the contralateral side as well as an excellent tip projection. The donor-site defect was minimal.

CONCLUSIONSThe reversed superficial temporal artery auricular flap offers an adequate length of vascular pedicle of the flap, it delivers a good solution to the problem of the vascular pedicle shortage of the proximal superficial artery auricular flap. This technique may become the top choice in the microvascular auricular transfer.