en تخصصي Special مقالات اصيل Original Article BACKGROUND The ala of the nose, with its particular texture and characteristics, poses both aesthetically and functionally intriguing challenges and is rather problematic regarding choices for reconstructive methods. Both flaps and grafts have been used to restore natural structure of nasal ala. The present study summarizes a ten-year experience of reconstructive surgery using small composite grafts from non-cartilage bearing tissues, and large composite grafts, containing cartilaginous tissue, with a mean follow-up of 4 years and 8 months. METHODS Cumulatively 56 patients were reported. Some of them required surgery due to previous cosmetic rhinoplasty. In 47 of the cases, a small graft from the non-cartilage bearing junction of ear lobule to helical rim sufficed. Nine patients had rather large defects for which grafts were harvested from the helical root. Donor sites were primarily closed and grafts were implanted in place in a single, rapid session. RESULTS All small grafts had excellent take. Of 9 large grafts, 5 had excellent take, three had acceptable, and one, in a male smoker, failed to take. During follow-up, no gross deformity or poor scar was detected in either donor or recipient site. CONCLUSIONS We have demonstrated that using both large and small auricular composite grafts has favorable long term results for reconstruction of alar rim deformities. However, use of small grafts seems more beneficial and applicability of large grafts requires further studies. Auricular composite; Graft; Armamentarium; Alar rim; Reconstruction; Rhinoplasty 33 40 http://wjps.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-17&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Ali Manafi dramanafi@yahoo.com 1003194753284600238 1003194753284600238 Yes Department of Plastic Surgery, Tehran Uni-versity of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Amir Eslami Shahr Babaki 1003194753284600239 1003194753284600239 No Sport Medicine Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Golnoush Mehrabani 1003194753284600240 1003194753284600240 No Stem Cell Research and Transgenic Technology Research Center, Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Abtine Shahlaee 1003194753284600241 1003194753284600241 No Medical Student Scientific Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Amir Manafi 1003194753284600242 1003194753284600242 No Medical Student, Shahid Beheshti Uni-versity, Tehran, Iran