title: Surgical reconstruction after subtotal ear resection in malignant melanoma of the ear.
abstract: Surgery in malignant melanoma of the external ear often leads to substantial defects where reconstruction poses a difficult challenge. We describe an option of a one-step ear reconstruction after subtotal ear resection in malignant melanoma surgery. In a patient with a high-risk melanoma of the helical rim, a wide local excision was performed. Because of a metastasis-suspect lymph node in the parotid gland, surgery included asservation of the sentinel lymph node, neck dissection and parotidectomy. A complete reconstruction of the ear was achieved using a bilobed flap from the retroauricular and neck region with acceptable cosmetic and functional results by one-step surgery. One micrometastasis was detected in the nuchal region but not in the marked sentinel lymph node. An adequate one-step ear reconstruction as described may also be performed to the benefit of patients with high-risk melanomas, allowing early adjuvant therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Münster, Waldeyer Str. 30, D-48129 Münster, Germany. losler@uni-muenster.de
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kruse-Lösler
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Presser
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Metze
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Joos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004431:Ear, External / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000601:surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery