Abstract:Objective To study the feasibility of 3-dimensional rib cartilage CT measurement on guiding rib cartilage harvest of adult patients with congenital microtia for auricular reconstruction. Methods From Janual7 2014 to December 2014, 46 adult patients suffering congenital microtia were included in this study. The measurements of 3D CT reconstruction on the sixth, seventh, eighth rib cartilage were finished before surgery. The amounts of rib cartilage for carving ear cartilage scaffold were determined by the measurements. All patients were followed up for 4 months to 1 year. Results There were 20 cases （43.48%） with bilateral asymmetry of the sixth, seventh, eighth rib cartilage. Meanwhile, there were 14 patients （30.43%） with significantly calcified rib cartilages. One case （2.17%） suffered rib cartilage fracture during harvesting rib cartilage. And mild chest deformity was observed in 2 cases （4.35%） after surgery. Conclusion Harvest of rib cartilage for adult ear reconstruction can be promoted by preoperative measurements of 3D rib cartilage morphology. Meanwhile, postoperative complications could be decreased.

Key words:Rib cartilage,Three-dimensional CT image reconstruction,Congenital microtia,Auricular construction