Ears (OTOPLASTY)

I cannot think of a single individual recognized for what beautiful ears they have. I feel certain, though, that we all remember kids we grew up with for the fact that their ears stuck out. While protruding ears are not really ugly, they just draw attention to themselves and away from the face. Kids in particular are notoriously cruel in pointing this out and making fun of those who have this problem. Some women are reluctant to wear their hair up because of protruding ears. Some men feel it makes them look less intelligent and may affect business impressions. For those who desire correction of this, the solution is usually pretty simple.

An incision is hidden behind the ear through which the surgery is done. Usually partial incisions are made in the ear cartilage allowing it to bend towards the head. Several permanent sutures are placed in the cartilage to hold the ear back in place and recreate the normal fold. Sometimes, additional tissue or cartilage is excised to bring the ear in closer to the head. The incisions are closed and a tight dressing is worn for a few days to avoid accidentally tearing the stitches loose. There is usually not much pain and the bruising goes away in a week or two. Adults can be done under IV sedation, but kids need to be put to sleep with a general anesthetic.

While an occasional ear is misshapen enough to be surgically challenging, usually the main issue is making sure the ears match in appearance. I usually like for kids to be four or five years old before doing surgery, but anytime after that is fine. A good argument can be made, however, for letting them get old enough to decide for themselves whether they want any corrective surgery.

The procedure usually costs a few thousand dollars and requires a week or less off from work, so for those who are interested, a consultation with a surgeon who does this procedure would be essential in helping make this decision.


 

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