title: A technique for auricular keloid core excision using a skin biopsy punch.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Keloids of the auricular region, resulting from ear piercing or external injury, are a common cosmetic problem. Surgical treatment followed by conservative management often is needed. The "hollowing out method for keloids of the auricle" retains the skin over the keloid lesion to minimize tension on the wound. This is considered to be the appropriate surgical treatment method, but skill is required to remove the keloid and retain the skin with a uniform thickness and appropriate form.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four patients with auricle keloids were included in this study. All the patients were females between the ages of 18 and 29 years (average age, 24.8 years). Keloid core excision using a skin biopsy punch with the patient under local anesthesia was performed for all the patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Use of a skin biopsy punch resulted in a shorter operating time without causing ear deformity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The authors report a technique for keloid core excision using a skin biopsy punch and believe it is a useful method
  
  
  METHODS
  This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors at www.springer.com/00266.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Osaka City University, Graduate School of Medicine, Asahi 1-4-3, Abeno, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sunohara
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ozawa
authors.forename: Teruichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Harada
authors.forename: Kuniyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.forename: Masamitsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishii
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy / Q000295:instrumentation; D054644:Ear Auricle / Q000601:surgery*; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007627:Keloid / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D055815:Young Adult