Reverse-flow postauricular arterial flap for auricular reconstruction.
Two patients with an ear defect, each reconstructed with a reverse-flow postauricular arterial flap are presented; one defect was caused by accidental exposure of bare cartilage at the posterior helix and the other by traumatic loss of earlobe. After the flaps were transposed, a line of auditory signals was dictated by Doppler probing, which suggested the presence of reverse blood flow in the flaps from the anteroauricular vessels. We believe that the reverse-flow postauricular arterial flap is a reliable and convenient optional tool in the reconstruction of auricular defects.