**5. Harvesting the conchal cartilage**

Cavum and cymba conchal cartilage is preferred for tip grafts and lateral crura strut grafts (LCSG) due to its curvature and elasticity. This is done via a post auricular approach, making an incision with a no. 15 blade. Skin and perichondrium are elevated from the underlying perichondrium and dissection is proceeded using appropriate scissors or also blunt dissection can be done with cotton-tip applicators. We should stop the dissection short of the cartilage of the external auditory canal. We generally preserve the radix helicis, to preserve the ear position. The cymba and cavum conchal are harvested as two separate entities and put in the saline-gentamicin solution along with the harvested rib and septum. The incision is sutured using nylon 6-0 running mattress sutures.
