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The Three-Triangle Rotation Flap Technique for Aesthetic Ear Lobule Reduction

  • Original Article
  • Facial Surgery
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Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Although the effect of normal aging on the appearance of the ear lobule is well known and defined, this often a neglected aspect of facial rejuvenation. Rhytidectomy offers a great opportunity to surgically enhance the aging earlobe. The objective of this study was to provide a step-by-step description of the execution of the three-triangle rotation flap technique for aesthetic ear lobule reduction.

Methods

The three-triangle rotation flap technique is described in a step-by-step fashion and illustrated by photographs and videos. All ear lobule reduction procedures that took place at our practice from December 2016 to February 2020 were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

A total of 16 patients underwent bilateral ear lobule reduction during face lift, neck lift, or both, and 7 patients underwent bilateral lobule reduction in isolation. None of the patients experienced complications, and revisions were not performed or required.

Conclusions

The three-triangle rotation flap technique relies on simple principles that can be adjusted to address all shapes and degrees of true ear lobule ptosis, as well as patient desire. It is employed in isolation or synchronous with rhytidectomy. When performed during rhytidectomy, it provides lobule stability and fixation.

Level of Evidence V

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266.

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Funding

No funding was received for this study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hunstad Kortesis Bharti Plastic Surgery Center, 11208 Statesville Road, Unit 300, Huntersville, Charlotte, NC, 28078, USA

    Vasileios Vasilakis, Matthew H. Isakson & Joseph P. Hunstad

  2. Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, NY, USA

    Feras Yamin

  3. Division of Plastic Surgery, Clinical Faculty, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Joseph P. Hunstad

Authors
  1. Vasileios Vasilakis
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  2. Feras Yamin
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  3. Matthew H. Isakson
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  4. Joseph P. Hunstad
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Vasileios Vasilakis.

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Conflict of interest

Joseph P. Hunstad is an investigator with Becon Medical, and stockholder at TouchMD and Hint MD. He receives royalties from Elsevier, Black & Black, and Johnson & Johnson (Byron Medical). He is also research study coordinator and participant at Cohera, Mentor, Allergan, Covidien, Pfizer, RXI, and Pacira Pharmaceuticals.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed written consent as permission for the use of the patient images was obtained.

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Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

(A, B) Demonstrates the three-triangle rotation flap technique for aesthetic ear lobule reduction during rhytidectomy (MP4 74641 kb)

Supplementary file2 (MP4 69755 kb)

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Vasilakis, V., Yamin, F., Isakson, M.H. et al. The Three-Triangle Rotation Flap Technique for Aesthetic Ear Lobule Reduction. Aesth Plast Surg 44, 1555–1559 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-020-01893-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00266-020-01893-x

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