Comparison of otoplasty techniques in the rabbit model.

The relative merit of cartilage scoring versus suturing in otoplasty remains a subject of debate among leading plastic surgeons. We compared a variety of otoplasty techniques in 42 rabbit ears using anterior or posterior scoring, horizontal or vertical mattress sutures, and combinations of scoring and suturing. The ears were splinted with a right-angle fold for 10 postoperative days, and the animals were killed after 8 weeks. Suturing techniques, alone or in combination with scoring, maintained an angulation significantly closer to the desired 90 degrees than anterior or posterior cartilage scoring (p < 0.05). The greatest accuracy and consistency were seen with horizontal mattress suturing, which provided an average angle (+/- SD) of 86 +/- 8.5 degrees. Histological analysis demonstrated a significant increase in cartilage hyperplasia with suturing alone, whereas the other techniques achieved only mild to moderate increases. Our findings support the usage of horizontal mattress sutures to create the antihelical fold in otoplasty.