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What is an Otoplasty?
An Otoplasty is a relatively common cosmetic surgical procedure performed to change the shape and prominence of the ears. It is most often done to ‘pin back’ ears that project out too far. The goal is to create a natural appearance to the ears without any obvious signs that a surgery has taken place.
An Otoplasty can be done on children as young as the age of six and when performed on children, is generally completed under anesthesia as an outpatient. Teenagers and adults usually prefer to have it done in an office setting using local anesthesia with or without oral sedation to reduce costs.
The surgical approach for an Otoplasty is generally from behind, hiding the incision in the fold on the back of the ears. A small amount of skin is usually removed to expose the underlying cartilage. The shape of the cartilage is what determines the shape and prominence of the ears; therefore, it is the cartilage that is altered during surgery. This is generally done by scoring the cartilage with a sharp instrument which releases the ‘spring’ or ‘memory’ of the cartilage to allow it to bend and hold its shape easier. New or more prominent folds can also be created by using permanent sutures to hold the cartilage in its new position. Sometimes, a wedge of cartilage is removed from the base of the ear to allow it fold back closer to the head and reduce its prominence. Most often, a combination of the above procedures is done to achieve the desired shape and projection.
Recovery from Otoplasty surgery is normally fairly quick as it is not generally a very painful procedure and usually there is not a lot of bruising or swelling. Obviously, the ears must be protected from trauma for several weeks; therefore, pull-over shirts and physical activities where the ears could be damaged must be avoided.
An Otoplasty can be done on children as young as the age of six and when performed on children, is generally completed under anesthesia as an outpatient. Teenagers and adults usually prefer to have it done in an office setting using local anesthesia with or without oral sedation to reduce costs.
The surgical approach for an Otoplasty is generally from behind, hiding the incision in the fold on the back of the ears. A small amount of skin is usually removed to expose the underlying cartilage. The shape of the cartilage is what determines the shape and prominence of the ears; therefore, it is the cartilage that is altered during surgery. This is generally done by scoring the cartilage with a sharp instrument which releases the ‘spring’ or ‘memory’ of the cartilage to allow it to bend and hold its shape easier. New or more prominent folds can also be created by using permanent sutures to hold the cartilage in its new position. Sometimes, a wedge of cartilage is removed from the base of the ear to allow it fold back closer to the head and reduce its prominence. Most often, a combination of the above procedures is done to achieve the desired shape and projection.
Recovery from Otoplasty surgery is normally fairly quick as it is not generally a very painful procedure and usually there is not a lot of bruising or swelling. Obviously, the ears must be protected from trauma for several weeks; therefore, pull-over shirts and physical activities where the ears could be damaged must be avoided.
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