The prominent antihelix and helix--the myth of the 'overcorrected' ear in otoplasty

Annals of Plastic Surgery
Kayvan ShokrollahiWilliam Lineaweaver

Abstract

Classic teaching of ear anatomy in the context of otoplasty states that if the antihelical fold is more prominent than the helical fold after surgery then the ear is "overcorrected." We set out to explore the role of the antihelix in normal ear anatomy, its relevance to aesthetic perceptions of the ear, and a snapshot of its incidence in nonoperated ears. To readily identify junior staff in our department, their color photographs, names, and contact details are posted on every ward. Using digital methods, we cropped the left ear out of the source images, making them unidentifiable. Clinical and nonclinical staff in our unit were asked to choose their favorite and their least favorite ears based on their aesthetic appeal. Responses were tabulated and the 2 most popular ears were compared. The preferred ear did not conform to the traditional dogma because it had a prominent antihelix and was statistically significant when compared to other choices. We also noted that a prominent antihelix is common among the general population and among colleagues within the department, and hence "normal." Also interesting was that the helix of the ear chosen as the most aesthetic was also the ear where the helix was almost touching the side of t...Continue Reading

References

Sep 1, 1968·Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery·D W Furnas
Jan 1, 1968·Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery·A J McDowell
Apr 1, 1963·British Journal of Plastic Surgery·J C MUSTARDE
Jul 1, 1963·British Journal of Plastic Surgery·V CHONGCHET
Jul 1, 2008·Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery : JPRAS·K ShokrollahiL Y Hiew

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Citations

Sep 10, 2016·Annals of Plastic Surgery·Jessica SteeleNeil Bulstrode

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