Retroauricular full-thickness skin grafts in syndactyly repair: outcome and comparison with inguinal full-thickness skin grafts: retrospective (cross-sectional) study

Objective: Most surgeons recommend the use of full-thickness skin grafts for syndactyly repair. Common donor sites include the groin and elbow, but only one publication has previously mentioned retroauricular skin. No publication has compared the results for full-thickness skin grafts between retroauricular and other donor sites. This study aims at comparing functional and aesthetic outcomes and parents' satisfaction with retroauricular vs inguinal full-thickness skin grafts. Methods: Eleven children with retroauricular and 15 with inguinal full-thickness skin grafts were included in this retrospective study. Examination included the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale, parent satisfaction, and a colour match measurement. Results: Both pigmentation match and parents' overall impression of the donor site were significantly better for retroauricular than for inguinal full-thickness skin grafts. Conclusion: Due to the excellent pigmentation match and the inconspicuousness of the donor site, this study recommends the use of retroauricular full-thickness skin grafts for syndactyly repair.