OTOPLASTY - COSMETIC EAR SURGERY

Otoplasty is a cosmetic surgery to change the appearance of a person's external ears.

Otoplasty may be done to:
•  set prominent ears back by bringing the ears closer to the head (often called ear pinning),
•  reduce the size of very big ears, or
•  reshape various bends in the cartilage.

Ear deformity results from distorted, damaged, or missing ear elements. Many otoplasties are performed not because of actual deformity, but because the individual is displeased with the shape of their ears. The operation is done on children between the ages of four and 14.

Otoplasty surgery, which is usually performed by either an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, plastic surgeon or ENT surgeon, can involve a combination of moving, reshaping, adding, or removing structural ear elements.

DETAILS OF THE PROCEDURE

Most otoplasty ear surgery is performed as a outpatient surgery, some requires a hospital stay. The procedure can take from two to five hours depending on the problem.

Either general anesthesia or local anesthesia with sedative will be administered before the surgery begins. The surgeon starts by making a small incision in the back of the ear to expose the ear cartilage. Then he sculpts the cartilage and bends 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. In some other cases, he will remove the skin and use stitches to fold the cartilage back on itself to reshape the ear without removing cartilage.

In most cases, ear surgery will leave a light scar in the back of the ear that will fade with time. Surgery is usually performed on both ears, even when only one ear appears to protrude, for a better balance.

Following the surgery, the patient's head will be wrapped in a bulky bandage to promote the best molding and healing. Medication may be prescribed to relieve pain in the ears.

Within a few days, the bulky bandages will be replaced by a lighter head dressing similar to a headband. Stitches are usually removed, or will dissolve, in about a week.

COST OF OTOPLASTY

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