Clinical Use of Auricular Cartilage Graft for Postoperative Oronasal Fistula

Abstract

Itoh has reported a new operative technique for oro-nasal fistulas using ear cartilage (1990). We used this method with some modification and operated on six fistula cases. Using this modified method, we undermined the circumference of the fistula to make mucosal flaps as large as possible from the oral side. Then the mucosal flaps were turned over to the nasal side, and the cartilage was inserted into or put on the turned over mucosal flaps and fixed with absorbable suturing. The six fistula closed from three to six weeks after the operation.