Reconstruction of the helical rim with the rubber band-conditioned postauricular tubed flap: a case report.

Objective: A case with posttraumatic tissue loss of the auricle is presented, where successful reconstruction with the aid of a tubed flap is achieved by gradual lysis within three stages.

Background: Helical rim losses may be reconstructed with a tubed flap created from postauricular tissue.

Method: The vascularity of the tubed flap was increased with the intermittent application of a rubber band tourniquet.

Conclusion: The use of a tourniquet before completing the third stage of the helical rim reconstruction may enhance the reliability of this procedure.