Presented by Angelo Cuzalina, MD, DDS, FAACS & Sebastian Gutierrez De Pineres, MD, DDS

This two-minute clip is a short preview of a full 10-minute technique where Dr. Angelo Cuzalina gets into the detail — the cartilage scoring, the suturing logic, why the upper ear correction has to come first, and how he verifies projection before closing.

Inside This Otoplasty Technique Video

The patient presents with two separate issues: excess conchal bowl projection pushing the middle ear outward, and a flat upper ear with no superior crus of the antihelix. The full video covers both corrections and explains the reasoning behind each decision.
Topics covered:

• Surgical marking strategy — Dr. Gutierrez De Pineres covers incision placement, including the two-centimeter rule from incision to outer ear edge
• Cartilage scoring for the Mustardé sutures — crosshatch cuts to weaken (not sever) the cartilage so it folds into a smooth curve rather than a straight line
• How suture placement along a curve versus a straight line is the difference between a natural antihelical fold and an artificial-looking one
• The telephone deformity — what it is, why it happens when the upper ear isn’t corrected, and how to avoid it
• Conchal bowl setback: why sutures need to anchor to bone or deep fascia, not soft tissue, to prevent long-term relapse
• Using a tape measure intraoperatively to verify projection (targeting 10–11 mm) rather than relying on eye alone

Access the Full Surgical Technique

Available through the AACS Digital Library here.

AACS Member (Resident or Training Fellow) — Complimentary
AACS Member (Physician or Allied Health) — $10
Non-Member Practitioner — $20

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