Reconstruction of Small to Moderate Size Peri-Auricular Skin Defects Using Hatchet Flaps

Abstract

Background: Peri-auricular region is a special anatomical area including the sideburn area anteriorly, hair superiorly, the non-hairy post-auricular sulcus posteriorly, and the mandibular angle and neck inferiorly. Reconstruction of defects affecting this area should consider all these structures so that hairy area has to be reconstructed with hairy flaps and the non-hairy area has to be reconstructed with non-hairy flaps.Local flaps in the form of hatchet type flap provide this reconstruction aim. The Hatchet flap is a well-known flap used to cover round defects with primary closure of the donor sites in a V-Y fashion.Methods: Hatchet flaps have been used in reconstruction of defects in variable anatomical sites as published by the senior author and proved to be a reliable flap providing stable coverage of the defect by a skin flap from the adjacent area and thus having similar color, texture, and sensation to the lost skin.