The bone-anchored auricular episthesis.

Total ablation of the pinna gives an unsatisfactory cosmetic result which has to be corrected. Plastic surgery procedures are generally not very successful and some sort of episthesis is preferred by many. The attachment of an episthesis is, however, often a problem. This paper is a case report of a new type of episthesis fixation arrangement. In a first session four titanium screws were implanted into the temporal bone above and behind the external meatus with a technique ensuring minimal tissue violation. Three months later when these screws were firmly integrated in the living bone, skin-penetrating titanium abutments were connected and a gold bridge was adapted to the abutments. A silicon rubber episthesis was attached to the bridge with a snap fastener. Behind this new method of episthesis attachment are several years of clinical experience of titanium implants directly anchored into various living bones and allowed to permanently penetrate skin or mucous membrane.