Anotia

Abstract

The so often repeated terminology “total reconstruction of the ear” is a disastrous misnomer, for it has led to simply too much misunderstanding. “Total reconstruction,” which is to say “repair of the external, middle, and internal ears,” is very much an overstatement. “Total auriculoplasty” “total pinnaplasty” and “total external ear reconstruction” are somewhat better wordings, but these again have been loosely and erroneously used for what they are not. I prefer to call the most common radical repair “subtotal” because it uses the existent microtia for the construction. Total auriculoplasty is the treatment for anotia, period. It has been, as yet, an unwritten chapter.