Partial auriculotomy for exposure of tumors of the external auditory meatus and conchal bowl.

Gaining adequate visual exposure and mechanical access to tumors arising in the conchal bowl area can be difficult. Having a surgical assistant flatten the natural concavity of the bowl with pressure from behind may be of some help. Furthermore, the use of an angled beaver blade may improve the maneuverability of the scalpel in this tight space. However, even with these adjunctive measures, surgery in this area can be challenging. Mohs micrographic surgery, which requires a continuous mapped plane of tissue to be excised, poses even greater difficulty.