Autologous rib cartilage transplantation represents the gold-standard approach for auricular reconstruction in microtia, yet unpredictable graft resorption and deformation remain unresolved clinical problems. The molecular mechanism underlying non-infectious cartilage degeneration remains poorly understood, lacking systematic evidence from pathology, cytology and transcriptomics.
Fu and Zhang’s team published a study in ENT Discovery focusing on the mechanism of cartilage resorption. They performed a comprehensive comparison between absorbed and native cartilage, and systematically analyzed inflammatory infiltration, gene expression, mitochondrial function and ectopic ossification. Results demonstrated that fixation material-induced chronic inflammation, inflammatory‑anti‑inflammatory gene imbalance and mitochondrial dysfunction collectively mediated chondrocyte death and extracellular matrix degradation.
This work advances auricular reconstruction and plastic surgery by elucidating the core pathological cascade of cartilage resorption. It provides a solid theoretical foundation for optimizing fixation materials and developing targeted anti‑inflammatory interventions, and supports future precise strategies to improve the long‑term stability and success rate of auricular reconstruction. The work entitled “Mechanisms of Autologous Rib Cartilage Graft Resorption in Microtia: Inflammatory Infiltration and Proinflammatory Gene Imbalance” was published on ENT Discovery (published on Apr. 03, 2026).
DOI: 10.15302/ENTD.2026.030008