The Superior Auricular Artery and Retroauricular Arterial Island Flaps

Abstract

This paper reports the finding of the superior auricular artery, which is a fairly large arterial branch, about 1 mm in diameter, arising from the superficial temporal artery anterior to the auricular helix. It is covered by skin, the anterior auricular muscle, and the fascia of the parotid gland. It runs together with its concomitant vein posteriorly in the groove between the cartilage of the ear and the temporal bone and anastomoses with the posterior auricular artery. This artery has been used successfully to raise large retroauricular arterial island flaps for one case of total nose reconstruction and seven cases of reconstruction of the severely constricted anophthalmic socket. These operative procedures are described in detail.

Reconstructing the eyelids after exenteration and trauma

“…Clever and sophisticated attempts for fewer combined, faster and possibly one-stage reconstructions of the orbital area are used mostly in congenital anophthalmia and post-enucleation deformities [2,10,12,18,25,29,32]. Although their use can be considered, the long process of shrinkage and transplanted tissue maturation has to be taken into account.…”

Surgical Correction of Cryptotia with Superiorly Based Superficial Mastoid Fascia and Skin Paddle

“…The superficial mastoid fascia is primarily supplied by the posterior auricular artery and can be elevated as an anteroinferiorly based flap. 14 -16 This fascia is also supplied by (1) the posterior branch of the superficial temporal artery and/or the superior auricular artery 17,18 and (2) the occipital artery. 19 Thus, the superficial mastoid fascia can be elevated in three directions: as an anteroinferiorly based flap (using the posterior auricular artery), a posteroinferiorly based flap (using the occipital artery), or a superiorly based flap (using the superficial temporal artery).…”

One-Stage Reconstruction of an Upper Part Defect of the Auricle

“…The superficial mastoid fascia used in this paper corresponds to the superficial temporal fascia cephally [9]. The superficial mastoid fascia, which is supplied primarily by the posterior auricular artery, can be elevated in three ways: (i) the anteroinferiorly based flap supplied by the posterior auricular artery [13], (ii) the posteroinferiorly based flap supplied by the anastomoses between the posterior auricular artery and the occipital artery [12], and (iii) the superiorly based flap supplied by the anastomoses between the posterior auricular artery and the posterior branch of the superficial temporal artery or the superior auricular artery [7,14]. For various types of the auricle reconstruction, the superficial mastoid fascia can be utilized instead of the temporoparietal fascial flap, which cannot be performed without leaving a visible scar in the hair-bearing area.…”

“…The superior auricular artery [14] is presumed to support or even nourish this narrow and long flap as a nearly axial pattern flap. The abundant blood supply of this flap enables the one-stage procedure without the secondary correction of the dog-ear of the skin pedicle.…”