Top New York plastic surgeon Dr. Darrick Antell
is board certified in plastic surgery, emphasizing
aesthetic / cosmetic surgery. One of the plastic
surgery procedures he performs is ear pinning surgery,
also known as otoplasty.
Otoplasty is usually done to set prominent
ears back closer to the head or to reduce the size
of large ears. If you are considering otoplasty,
this section will give you a basic understanding
of the procedure.
To view more information about ear pinning surgery
(otoplasty), please click on one of the links below.
If you're considering
ear surgery...
Ear surgery, or otoplasty, is usually done to set
prominent ears back closer to the head or to reduce
the size of large ears.
Ears that appear to stick out or are
overly large can be helped by ear surgery.
For the most part, the operation is done on children
between the ages of four and 14. Ears are almost
fully grown by age four, and the earlier the surgery,
the less teasing and ridicule the child will have
to endure. Ear surgery on adults is also possible,
and there are generally no additional risks associated
with ear surgery on an older patient.
If you're considering ear surgery for yourself
or your child, this information will give you a
basic understanding of the procedure-when it can
help, how it's performed, and what results you can
expect. It can't answer all of your questions, since
a lot depends on your individual circumstances.
Please be sure to ask your doctor if there is anything
you don't understand about the procedure.
[Back to ear surgery list]
All ear surgery
carries some uncertainty and risk
When ear surgery is performed by a qualified, experienced
surgeon, complications are infrequent and usually
minor. Nevertheless, as with any operation, there
are risks associated with surgery and specific complications
associated with this procedure.
A small percentage of patients may develop a blood
clot on the ear. It may dissolve naturally or can
be drawn out with a needle.
Occasionally, patients develop an infection in
the cartilage, which can cause scar tissue to form.
Such infections are usually treated with antibiotics;
rarely, surgery may be required to drain the infected
area.
[Back to ear surgery list]
Planning for
ear surgery
Most surgeons recommend that parents stay alert
to their child's feelings about protruding ears;
don't insist on the surgery until your child wants
the change. Children who feel uncomfortable about
their ears and want the surgery are generally more
cooperative during the process and happier with
the outcome.
In the initial meeting, your surgeon will evaluate
your child's condition, or yours if you are considering
surgery for yourself, and recommend the most effective
technique. He or she will also give you specific
instructions on how to prepare for surgery.
[Back to ear surgery list]
Where the ear
surgery will be performed
Ear surgery is usually performed as an outpatient
procedure in a hospital, a doctor's office-based
surgical facility, or a freestanding surgery center.
Occasionally, your doctor may recommend that the
procedure be done as an inpatient procedure, in
which case you can plan on staying overnight in
the hospital.
[Back to ear surgery list]
Types of anesthesia
for ear surgery
If your child is young, your surgeon may recommend
general anesthesia, so the child will sleep through
the operation. For older children or adults, the
surgeon may prefer to use local anesthesia, combined
with a sedative, so you or your child will be awake
but relaxed.
[Back to ear surgery list]
The ear pinning
surgery
Ear surgery usually takes about two to three hours,
although complicated procedures may take longer.
The technique will depend on the problem.
With one of the more common techniques, the surgeon
makes a small incision in the back of the ear to
expose the ear cartilage. He or she will then sculpt
the cartilage and bend 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.
An incision is made in the back of
the ear so cartilage can be sculpted
or folded. Stitches are used to
close the incision and help
maintain the new shape.
Another technique involves a similar incision in
the back of the ear. Skin is removed and stitches
are used to fold the cartilage back on itself to
reshape the ear without removing cartilage.
Creating a fold in the cartilage makes
the ear lie flatter against the head and
appear more normal.
In most cases, ear surgery will leave a faint scar
in the back of the ear that will fade with time.
Even when only one ear appears to protrude, surgery
is usually performed on both ears for a better balance.
[Back to ear surgery list]
Getting back
to normal after ear surgery
Adults and children are usually up and around within
a few hours of surgery, although you may prefer
to stay overnight in the hospital with a child until
all the effects of general anesthesia wear off.
The patient's head will be wrapped in a bulky bandage
immediately following surgery to promote the best
molding and healing. The ears may throb or ache
a little for a few days, but this can be relieved
by medication.
Within a few days, the bulky bandages will be replaced
by a lighter head dressing similar to a headband.
Be sure to follow your surgeon's directions for
wearing this dressing, especially at night.
Stitches are usually removed, or will dissolve,
in about a week.
Any activity in which the ear might be bent should
be avoided for a month or so. Most adults can go
back to work about five days after surgery. Children
can go back to school after seven days or so, if
they're careful about playground activity. You may
want to ask your child's teacher to keep an eye
on the child for a few weeks.
[Back to ear surgery list]
Other ear problems
Besides protruding ears, there are a variety of
other ear problems that can be helped with surgery.
These include: "lop ear," when the tip seems to
fold down and forward; "cupped ear," which is usually
a very small ear; and "shell ear," when the curve
in the outer rim, as well as the natural folds and
creases, are missing. Surgery can also improve large
or stretched earlobes, or lobes with large creases
and wrinkles. Surgeons can even build new ears for
those who were born without them or who lost them
through injury.
Sometimes, however, the correction can leave a
scar that's worse than the original problem. Ask
your surgeon about the effectiveness of surgery
for your specific case.
[Back to ear surgery list]
More natural-looking
ears
Most patients, young and old alike, are thrilled
with the results of ear surgery. But keep in mind,
the goal is improvement, not perfection. Don't expect
both ears to match perfectly-perfect symmetry is
both unlikely and unnatural in ears. If you've discussed
the procedure and your expectations with the surgeon
before the operation, chances are, you'll be quite
pleased with the result.
Back to ear surgery list
© Copyright American Society of Plastic Surgeons
If you would like to contact New York plastic surgeon
Darrick Antell, or if have any further questions
about otoplasty or any of our cosmetic surgery procedures,
please use our contact
form.
Phone: (212) 988-4040
