Bilateral Perichondrium-Preserving Conchal Cartilage Harvest: A New Perspective to the Classic Procedure.

[BACKGROUND] To date, it has been a unanimous consent that the conchal cartilage is harvested at subperichondrial plane for the anterior side, and perichondrial level for the posterior dissection. This method has never been challenged, despite the fact that numerous studies already suggested the beneficial validity of preserving perichondrium. The authors address our technique of preserving both sides of the perichondrium during auricular cartilage harvest.

[METHODS] Twenty patients, ranging in age from 18 to 33 years, completed the study. In all cases, the conchal cartilage was harvested with bilateral perichondrium preserved. The complications that arose were collected retrospectively.

[RESULTS] The average time duration for the bilateral perichondrium-preserving was 37.6±4.1 minutes. The size of the conchal cartilage ranged from 3.1×2.4 to 1.8×1.5 cm. A case rendered small skin perforation during the harvest, but recovered uneventfully with immediate repair.

[CONCLUSIONS] The technique can be technically challenging and time-consuming. Nevertheless, better tissue integrity, balanced structure, and other potential benefits that ensue vindicate the extra time and effort. This bilaterally perichondrium preserved conchal graft warrants further validations in the long term.