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If you're considering ear surgery...
Ear surgery, or otoplasty, is usually done to set prominent
ears back closer to the head or to reduce the size of large
ears.
For the most part, the operation is done on
children between the ages of four and 14. Ears are almost
fully grown by age four, and the earlier the surgery, the
less teasing and ridicule the child will have to endure. Ear
surgery on adults is also possible, and there are generally
no additional risks associated with ear surgery on an older
patient.
If you're considering ear surgery for yourself
or your child, this information will give you a basic understanding
of the procedure-when it can help, how it's performed, and
what results you can expect. It can't answer all of your questions,
since a lot depends on your individual circumstances. Please
be sure to ask your doctor if there is anything you don't
understand about the procedure.
ALL SURGERY CARRIES SOME UNCERTAINTY
AND RISK
When ear surgery is performed by a qualified, experienced
surgeon, complications are infrequent and usually minor. Nevertheless,
as with any operation, there are risks associated with surgery
and specific complications associated with this procedure.
A small percentage of patients may develop
a blood clot on the ear. It may dissolve naturally or can
be drawn out with a needle.
Occasionally, patients develop an infection
in the cartilage, which can cause scar tissue to form. Such
infections are usually treated with antibiotics; rarely, surgery
may be required to drain the infected area.
PLANNING FOR SURGERY
Most surgeons recommend that parents stay alert to their child's
feelings about protruding ears; don't insist on the surgery
until your child wants the change. Children who feel uncomfortable
about their ears and want the surgery are generally more cooperative
during the process and happier with the outcome.
In the initial meeting, your surgeon will evaluate
your child's condition, or yours if you are considering surgery
for yourself, and recommend the most effective technique.
He or she will also give you specific instructions on how
to prepare for surgery.
WHERE THE SURGERY WILL BE PERFORMED
Ear surgery is usually performed as an outpatient procedure
in a hospital, a doctor's office-based surgical facility,
or a freestanding surgery center. Occasionally, your doctor
may recommend that the procedure be done as an inpatient procedure,
in which case you can plan on staying overnight in the hospital.
TYPES OF ANESTHESIA
If your child is young, your surgeon may recommend general
anesthesia, so the child will sleep through the operation.
For older children or adults, the surgeon may prefer to use
local anesthesia, combined with a sedative, so you or your
child will be awake but relaxed.
THE SURGERY
Ear surgery usually takes about two to three hours, although
complicated procedures may take longer. The technique will
depend on the problem.
With one of the more common techniques, the
surgeon makes a small incision in the back of the ear to expose
the ear cartilage. He or she will then sculpt the cartilage
and bend it back toward the head. Non-removable stitches may
be used to help maintain the new shape. Occasionally, the
surgeon will remove a larger piece of cartilage to provide
a more natural-looking fold when the surgery is complete.
Another technique involves a similar incision
in the back of the ear. Skin is removed and stitches are used
to fold the cartilage back on itself to reshape the ear without
removing cartilage.
In most cases, ear surgery will leave a faint
scar in the back of the ear that will fade with time. Even
when only one ear appears to protrude, surgery is usually
performed on both ears for a better balance.
GETTING BACK TO NORMAL
Adults and children are usually up and around within a few
hours of surgery, although you may prefer to stay overnight
in the hospital with a child until all the effects of general
anesthesia wear off.
The patient's head will be wrapped in a bulky
bandage immediately following surgery to promote the best
molding and healing. The ears may throb or ache a little for
a few days, but this can be relieved by medication.
Within a few days, the bulky bandages will
be replaced by a lighter head dressing similar to a headband.
Be sure to follow your surgeon's directions for wearing this
dressing, especially at night.
Stitches are usually removed, or will dissolve,
in about a week.
Any activity in which the ear might be bent
should be avoided for a month or so. Most adults can go back
to work about five days after surgery. Children can go back
to school after seven days or so, if they're careful about
playground activity. You may want to ask your child's teacher
to keep an eye on the child for a few weeks.
OTHER EAR PROBLEMS
Besides protruding ears, there are a variety of other ear
problems that can be helped with surgery. These include: "lop
ear," when the tip seems to fold down and forward; "cupped
ear," which is usually a very small ear; and "shell
ear," when the curve in the outer rim, as well as the
natural folds and creases, are missing. Surgery can also improve
large or stretched earlobes, or lobes with large creases and
wrinkles. Surgeons can even build new ears for those who were
born without them or who lost them through injury.
Sometimes, however, the correction can leave
a scar that's worse than the original problem. Ask your surgeon
about the effectiveness of surgery for your specific case.
MORE NATURAL-LOOKING EARS
Most patients, young and old alike, are thrilled with the
results of ear surgery. But keep in mind, the goal is improvement,
not perfection. Don't expect both ears to match perfectly-perfect
symmetry is both unlikely and unnatural in ears. If you've
discussed the procedure and your expectations with the surgeon
before the operation, chances are, you'll be quite pleased
with the result.
Back to Procedures
Information provided by American
Society of Plastic Surgeons. |
