title: Abnormality of Auricular Muscles in Congenital Auricular Deformities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It has been suggested that there is a close association of abnormality in auricular muscles with various congenital auricular deformities. However, there has been no investigation to determine what muscles are involved and how they affect the deformity. The authors examined abnormalities of auricular muscles for patients with various auricular deformities.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors examined 77 auricles of 62 patients with congenital auricular deformities, including cryptotia, Stahl's ear, prominent ear, lop ear, and others. The superior and posterior auricular muscles from the extrinsic auricular muscle group and the auricular oblique and transverse muscles from the auricular intrinsic muscle group were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The authors found characteristic features of the abnormality of the muscle for each auricular deformity. In nearly all cases of cryptotia, abnormality was found in the superior auricular, auricular oblique, and auricular transverse muscles. Abnormal insertion was found mainly in the superior auricular muscle and was the main cause of cryptotia. In Stahl's ear, the major abnormality was abnormal insertion of the auricular transverse muscle, which creates an abnormal cartilaginous prominence in the scapha. The abnormality in cases of prominent ear was clearly limited mostly to the auricular transverse muscle and, in some cases, to the posterior auricular muscle. In lop ear, abnormality was mostly found in the auricular transverse muscle, with elongation, and in the superior auricular or auricular oblique muscle in some cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a tendency for a specific muscle abnormality to be found in each deformity. It is important to identify the abnormal muscle and correct the abnormality during the operation.
authors.affiliation: Sapporo, Japan; and Hirosaki, Japan From the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine; and the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Hirosaki University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Takatoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yotsuyanagi
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Asuka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sugai
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gonda
authors.forename: Ayaka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kitada
authors.forename: Tamotsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Urushidate
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D054644:Ear Auricle / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D004425:Ear Cartilage / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D055815:Young Adult