title: Revisiting Gavello's procedure for single-stage reconstruction of the earlobe: The vascular basis, technique and clinical uses.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Deformities or loss of the earlobe may be congenital, or acquired due to trauma, bites, burns or tumour excision. A variety of single-stage and two-stage procedures have been described for earlobe reconstruction, of which Gavello's procedure was one of the earliest.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To revisit Gavello's procedure with reference to the vascular supply of the flap, and discuss the relevance of the technique in current practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors discuss the vascular basis of Gavello's flap, and describe the clinical application of the single-stage Gavello's procedure in diverse clinical situations, including congenital absence of earlobe, post-burn earlobe deformity and traumatic amputation of the earlobe.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Excellent cosmetic results have been achieved in all different clinical situations in the authors' experience, with preservation of earlobe shape and volume, good colour match and a well-concealed scar in the donor area.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gavello's procedure is a simple, one-stage procedure that relies entirely on local tissue for earlobe reconstruction; the flap has a predictable vascular supply, skin grafting is not required and the procedure can be used for large defects. An intact donor area over the postauricular mastoid region is a prerequisite.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The simple, century-old Gavello's procedure is still of great value for reconstruction of earlobe defects of diverse etiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Medical College Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Debarati
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chattopadhyay
authors.forename: Souradip
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Marang Buru
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Murmu
authors.forename: Goutam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guha
authors.forename: Sandipan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
keywords: Earlobe deformity; Earlobe reconstruction; Gavello’s flap; Gavello’s procedure