[Clinical study of chest contour deformity after harvesting of costal cartilage for total ear reconstruction].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the chest contour deformities after harvesting of costal cartilage for total ear reconstruction, so as to prevent donor site morbidity.


METHODS
107 cases of microtia who underwent ear reconstruction with costal cartilage during the period from 1994 to 2003, were retrospectively studied. Both the chest depression deformity and the costal arch deformity were evaluated. The possible related factors to the chest contour deformities were analyzed statistically with Stata software.


RESULTS
The incidence of chest depression was 54.55% (48/88), including 35 cases of mild depression (39.77%) and 13 cases of severe depression (14.77% ). The incidence of costal arch deformity was 52.77% (46/88), including 33 cases of mild deformity (37.50%) and 13 cases of severe deformity (14.77%). The incidence of both deformities was significantly different at different age (P < 0.01), but not at different follow-up period (P = 0.294 and P = 0.225, respectively). Gender was related to the incidence of chest depression (P < 0.01), but not to the costal arch contour deformity (P = 0.619). Comparing resection of the 6th and 7th rib cartilage with resection of 7th and 8th rib cartilage, the incidence of costal arch deformity was significantly different (P < 0.01), but the incidence of depression deformity was not (P = 0.657).


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of chest deformities increases with early operation time (< 13 years old). The male patients have higher incidence of depression deformity than female. The arch deformity is higher when the 6th and 7th rib cartilage were resected. The follow-up period is not related to the chest deformities.
Guo
Wan-Hou
WH
Plastic Surgery Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Beijing 100144, China.
Yang
Qing-Hua
QH
Jiang
Hai-Yue
HY
Zhuang
Hong-Xing
HX
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004431:Ear, External / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012272:Ribs / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000637:transplantation; D012737:Sex Factors; D013909:Thorax / Q000002:abnormalities*; D055815:Young Adult