The Study of Reconstruction Auricle Long-Term Changes by 3D Laser Scan Technology

YAN Jingjie; YANG Qinghua; SONG Yupeng; LIU Ge; MA Chenhao

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1672-2922.2013.04.014

Abstract：Objective The aim of this study is to compare anthrometric data between the normal auricle and its recon-structed counterpart. Subjects A Total of 56 patients with gradeⅢunilateral microtia who underwent ear reconstruction using soft tissue expander and autogenous rib cartilage framwork was randomly selected. The average age of these patients was 10 years (male=33, female=23). The average follow-up was 15 months. Methods Three dimensional laser scan technology was used to construct digital 3-D models of the reconstructed auricle and its normal counterpart. The height and width of the auri-cle were measured. The SPSS software was used for statistical analysis. Results There was on average a 1.07 ± 0.41 mm in-crease in height and 0.30±0.79 mm increase in width of the reconstructed auricle, compared to the 0.93±0.60 mm increase in height and 0.19±0.56 mm increase in width for the normal counterpart. The height change was statistically significant for both normal and reconstructed auricles, but not the width change. However, the width change of reconstructed auricle in subjects younger than 13 years was 0.51 ± 0.09 mm and statistically significant. The average increase in width of normal auricle was 0.28 ± 0.13 mm and also statistically significant. When comparing measurements of the reconstructed and the normal auricles, no significant difference were observed in the height or width regardless of age. Conclusion Our findings indicate that there is an increase in the height of reconstructed auricles for all age groups. Only in subjects younger than 13 years, the increase in width appears to be of statistical significance. The change of reconstructed auricle appears to be proportional to its normal counterparts.