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External Ear Surgery (Otoplasty)

External Ear Surgery (Otoplasty)
Ears that protrude can be psychologically traumatizing whether you are an adult or a child. Both women and men often grow their hair long to conceal it. Fortunately, an outpatient procedure does exist to “pin” the ear back or reduce the perceived size of the ear.

Who is a candidate for surgery?
Both children and adults are good candidates, but generally it is better to perform the procedure earlier in life to minimize the psychological trauma of protruding ears.

How is the surgery performed?
An ellipse of skin is removed from the backside of the ear, and it is from here that the ear cartilage is molded and where the final scar will be well-concealed. To properly address the protruding ear, one must first recognize which components of the ear are causing the problem. At times, excess cartilage from the bowl of the ear is removed. Permanent sutures are used to re-create the normal folds of the ear in those who lack them. These same permanent sutures also pin back the ear symmetrically.

What can I expect after surgery?
After surgery a compressive dressing is placed for a couple of days. Thereafter, the patients must wear a swim band to support the ears against the head for a few weeks until the tissues gain strength. Sutures behind the ear are removed between the first and second week.

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