title: Combined atresiaplasty and tragal reconstruction for microtia and congenital aural atresia: thesis for the American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe a new technique for combining atresiaplasty with tragal reconstruction by performing the tragal reconstruction with cartilage grafting at the same time as the atresiaplasty for patients with microtia and congenital aural atresia. Hearing and canaloplasty outcomes for this combined technique are reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with aural atresia (n = 19) with (n = 16) or without (n = 3) microtia, and a Jahrsdoerfer grade of 6 or higher. Mean age was 8.3 years. Atresiaplasty was performed in 20 ears, with the new combined technique in 15 ears (75%). METHODS/INTERVENTIONS: During the meatoplasty portion of atresiaplasty, the tragus was reconstructed with a cartilage graft and an anteriorly pedicled skin flap.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hearing results, complications including canal stenosis, infections, sensorineural hearing loss, and facial nerve injuries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean postatresiaplasty pure tone average (PTA) and air bone gap (ABG) were 37.5 and 29.4 dB, respectively. Eleven (55%) of the ears had an ABG of < or =30 dB, and 10 (50%) had speech reception thresholds (SRT) of < or =30 dB. Six ears (30%) had postoperative infections. Revision surgery was performed in four ears (20%) for canal/meatal stenosis, and in six (30%) for conductive hearing loss. Bone Anchored Hearing Aid was performed in six patients (30%). There was no sensorineural hearing loss or facial nerve injury.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new combined tragal reconstruction and atresiaplasty technique yielded satisfactory hearing, canal/meatal patency, and cosmetic results, with acceptable rates of complications. This combined tragal reconstruction and atresiaplasty technique is a valuable option in the armamentarium of microtia and atresia surgeons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. yellonr@chp.edu
authors.forename: Robert F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Yellon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002356:Cartilage / Q000637:transplantation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D054644:Ear Auricle / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult