(General Information)
Technical name: Otoplasty
Body Parts: Ears
Recommended Age: Usually between four and 14, but can also be done on adults.
Anesthesia: General or local, depending on the patient’s age.
Surgery time: On average, 2-3 hours
Clinic stay: Usually no need to stay in hospital
Scar: In the back of the ear
Post-operative: Bandage protecting the scar for a few days and later, a head dressing.
Recuperation period: About 8-14 days.
Otoplasty is a cosmetic surgery procedure to correct protruding ears. Ear surgery works by setting prominent ears back closer to the head or reducing the size of large ears.
There are a variety of other problems that can also be helped with surgery:
For Ear reconstruction, cartilage from the patient's other ear, from the ribs or prosthetic material may be used, depending on the extent of the problem.
Most part of ear surgeries is done in children between four and fourteen. By the age of four, the ears are fully developed. As sooner it will be corrected for children, as better it will be for them. However, it also can be done in adults. The procedure has much success with men, because they usually wear their hair short, which leaves the ears visible.
It is important to consider the desire of the child. If the child doesn’t want to change its ears, you should not insist. If they have decided for the surgery by themselves, they are usually more cooperative during the process and happier with the results. [ Top ]
Patients are usually happy with the results of Ear Surgery. However, it is important to remember that the point is to improve, do not expect perfection. You should not expect that both ears will look exactly the same. Perfect symmetry would be unnatural. That’s why you should talk to your surgeon and share with him all your expectations about the procedure. [ Top ]
When the patient is a child, general anesthesia is recommended for ear surgery. Under general anesthesia, the child will sleep through the surgery. In case of older children or adults, ear surgery can be done with local anesthesia combined with a sedative, so the patient will be awake but relaxed. [ Top ]
Ear Surgery usually takes between two and three hours. In complicated cases, it may take longer. The technique used depends on the case.
The most common technique is done by a small incision in the back of the ear. With the cartilage exposed, it is sculpted by the surgeon, and then bent back toward the head. Sometimes a larger piece of cartilage is removed, in order to provide a more natural-look. Non-removable stitches may be used in some cases, to help maintaining the new shape.
There is also another technique which involves a similar incision in the back of the ear. Stitches are used to fold the cartilage, reshaping the ear without removing the cartilage.
Ear surgery is usually performed on both ears, in order to achieve balance. The scar is usually discrete, and fades with time. [ Top ]
People are usually ready for a normal life just a few hours after ear surgery. However, you may prefer to stay overnight in the hospital, especially if the patient is a child.
Right after ear surgery, the head will be covered with a bulky bandage, for a better molding and healing. You may feel your ears throb or ache in the first days, but it gets better with some medication.
A few days later, the bandages will be replaced by a head dressing. It is important to follow your surgeon’s instructions, especially about wearing the head dressing at night. About a week later, stitches are removed or dissolved.
Activities that might hurt your ears should be avoided at least in the first month after ear surgery. In case of adults, it is possible to go to back to work five days after surgery. Children can go back to school about a week after surgery, as long as they take care about playing with other kids or playing sports.
The complete recovery process usually takes between one to two weeks. The final result usually takes many months to be seen. [ Top ]
Just like any surgery procedure, there are some risks with ear surgery. It is important to ask your plastic surgeon everything you would like to know and share with him all your feelings and fears. However, complications are rare. If you have scar healing problems, the correction may leave a scar that is worse than the original problem. This is another reason for carefully speaking to the surgeon about your specific case, asking him everything you would like to know.
It is also extremely important to follow your physician’s instructions, ensuring best results. [ Top ]
