Surgical Correction of Protruding Ears (Otoplasty)

Below are some dramatic before and after pictures illustrating the results possible from the Otoplasty procedure. Click on the small image for a larger version.

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General Information

This operation is intended to place protruding ears in a more normal position. Protruding ears in a child can create a psychological problem which may impede his or her social and emotional development through teasing by his or her peers. The operation my be performed any time after age four. It may be desirable to have the surgery performed prior to beginning elementary school to avoid the danger of psychotrauma from teasing classmates.

No pair of ears are exactly the same either before or after the operation; for example, the ear on the left side of the head may be larger and further away from the head than the ear on the opposite side. Convolution of the ears is always irregular in ears that have undergone such an operation. This is emphasized because the patient's parents and friends are more critical of a person's ears following surgery than they were before surgery. The surgeon makes every effort to improve the appearance of the ears so that they will be satisfactory from a cosmetic stand point. In rare instances, at the discretion of your surgeon, a secondary minor procedure may be performed to modify the final result. It is not infrequent that the surgeon sets the ears in quite closely to the head since nature tends to "unspring" the cartilage somewhat in the initial months following surgery and this OVER-CORRECTION is performed to create the ideal position several months following surgery.

Procedure

The operation may be performed in the hospital or clinic under general anesthesia, at the surgeon's discretion. If performed as a clinic procedure, the patient returns home following surgery.

Hospital Stay

1. For children, under general anesthesia, approximately 1 day

2. For adults and children, under local anesthesia, as outpatient or hospital approximately one day.

Surgical Time

Variable. Approximately one hour each ear.

Surgical Procedure

Incisions are made behind the ear. The cartilage is exposed and the operative procedures are carried out to reform the cartilage framework of the ears, so that they may be placed in a more normal position. Stitches are placed in the cartilage to hold the ears in place. The skin is stitched in routine fashion.

Postoperative Care

Immediately after the surgery, bandages are placed over the ears and around the head. The bandage is left on for approximately three days. Following the removal of the bandages, the patient should wear and elastic bandana to cover the ears while sleeping, an additional three to four weeks.

The patient undergoing such ear surgery should expect some soreness the first day or two which will be alleviated by medication.

The patient must not accept advice from those who are not directly concerned with the operation. Call your surgeon if medical problems arise.

The patient should remain within reasonable traveling distance of the surgeon's office until the first dressing change.

Medications

Take all medications EXACTLY as ordered. You my be requested to take some medicines before your surgery. DO NOT TAKE ASPIRIN OR ANY ASPIRIN-CONTAINING COMPOUNDS FOR TWO WEEKS BEFORE OR TWO WEEKS AFTER YOUR SURGERY. Acetaminophen (Tylenol, Valadol, Tempra) may be used in place of aspirin. AT THE FIRST SIGN OF HIVES OR A RASH, DISCONTINUE ALL MEDICATION AND CALL IMMEDIATELY.

Possible Minor Complications

Occasional minor bleeding or discharge from the incision areas. Infection and/or wide scars are possible but uncommon. If excessive pain, call your surgeon.