Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Canaloplasty is challenging because of the high rate of postoperative restenosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of using a U-Linear split-thickness skin graft (U-Linear STSG), a novel modified graft placement technique for canaloplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on patients who underwent canaloplasty between January 2013 and December 2023. The medical records of external auditory canal stenosis patients who underwent canaloplasty were reviewed. The data collected included patient demographics, surgical approaches, postoperative outcomes, and audiometric findings. The outcomes of reconstruction for ear canal stenosis using a U-Linear STSG were compared with those using a reconstructed local flap. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests for categorical data and independent t tests for continuous data. RESULTS: Thirty-six patients with external auditory canal stenosis underwent reconstruction; 17 patients underwent reconstruction with a U-Linear STSG, and 19 patients underwent reconstruction with a local flap. A review of the clinical outcomes revealed that postoperative restenosis was significantly less common in the U-Linear STSG group than in the local flap group (p < 0.05). In terms of audiometry, the postoperative air‒bone gap in the U-STSG group was slightly greater than that in the local group. No serious complications were observed in either group. CONCLUSION: A U-Linear STSG can be simply and feasibly applied in reconstruction for ear canal stenosis, with no major complications.