title: Cryptotia correction--the post-auricular transposition flap.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cryptotia is a congenital ear deformity in which the upper pole appears buried beneath mastoid skin. Here we describe our method of cryptotia correction which we have used to good effect with minimal complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 patients and 24 ears were operated on. All surgery was performed by the senior authors WS and DG. Patient age range was 4-19 years and mean follow up was 2.1 years. We use a superiorly based V-shaped flap raised from the post-auricular skin. Following ear release, the flap is rotated into the defect and donor site closed directly. Our technique ensures all scars are hidden behind the ear, there are no skin grafts required.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients had a satisfactory release of cryptotia, there were no cases of partial or total flap failure, none of wound dehiscence and no patients required revisional surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The post-auricular flap is a simple technique, retaining the depth of the auriculotemporal sulcus, providing a good skin colour match without the need for skin grafting and without distorting the hair line. Our results are comparable or superior to those seen with other techniques previously described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Royal Free Hospital, London NW3 2YP, UK. mrdjmarsh@yahoo.com
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marsh
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sabbagh
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gault
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004431:Ear, External / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D013524:Surgical Flaps; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult