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Diagnosis and Prevalence of Prominent Lobules in Otoplasty: Analysis of 120 Patients with Prominent Ears

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Abstract

Background

The prominence of the ear lobule is considered an anomaly of secondary importance and receives correspondingly less attention in literature. We reviewed a case series of otoplasty patients and analyzed the prevalence of lobule prominence.

Methods

Records of otoplasties between 2007 and 2013 were reviewed. Inclusion criteria were: (1) primary otoplasties; (2) prominence of both ears; and (3) otoplasties conducted by the main author. Patients were divided into two groups: (1) A general group (GG) containing all the patients, and (2) a lobule correction group (LG)—a subgroup of GG containing only the patients who needed lobule correction.

Results

From a total of 291 patients, 120 patients were included in GG and 27 patients in LG. There was no statistical difference between groups GG and LG in terms of age and gender. Preoperative diagnosis of lobule prominence was correctly established in 14 patients; 13 patients were diagnosed during surgery.

Conclusions

Lobule prominence should not be underestimated since its diagnosis may be missed in the preoperative period—nearly 50 % in our case. Also its prevalence (22.5 %) is not as infrequent as some may think. Knowledge of lobule correction techniques before surgery is important to avoid less than optimal results in otoplasty.

Level of Evidence V

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery and Anatomy, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Avenida Norma Valerio Correa, 571 Casa 85, Ribeirão Preto, SP, 14021-593, Brazil

    Luís Fernando Ungarelli, Camila Zirlis Naif de Andrade, Evelyne Gabriela Schmaltz Chaves Marques, João Luís Gil Jorge, Bruno Francisco Müller Neto, Guilherme Augusto Magalhães de Andrade, Renan Victor Kumpel Schmidt Lima & Jayme Adriano Farina

  2. Department of Social Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

    Altacílio Aparecido Nunes

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  1. Luís Fernando Ungarelli
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  2. Camila Zirlis Naif de Andrade
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  3. Evelyne Gabriela Schmaltz Chaves Marques
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  4. João Luís Gil Jorge
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  6. Guilherme Augusto Magalhães de Andrade
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  7. Renan Victor Kumpel Schmidt Lima
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  8. Altacílio Aparecido Nunes
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Correspondence to Luís Fernando Ungarelli.

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

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Ungarelli, L.F., de Andrade, C.Z.N., Marques, E.G.S.C. et al. Diagnosis and Prevalence of Prominent Lobules in Otoplasty: Analysis of 120 Patients with Prominent Ears. Aesth Plast Surg 40, 645–651 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-016-0678-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-016-0678-x

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