Otoplasty

Otoplasty

Otoplasty, commonly just called “ear surgery”, or “ear pinning”, is performed on both children and adults in the Atlanta area. It is most commonly used to correct prominent ears, although Otoplasty techniques are used on many ear deformities. Typically Otoplasty in children is often delayed until after the child reaches the age of five to seven. It is also not unusual for an adult to be interested in an Otoplasty.

Otoplasty Technique

There are several different, well-established techniques utilized in correcting the three-dimensional contour of the ear. These involve combinations of cartilage scoring, cartilage suturing, and cartilage resection. The incision is placed behind the ear to avoid visible scarring.

Are You a Candidate?

If you’ve always been self-conscious about the size of your ears, or if you constantly find yourself trying to cover your ears with your hair or a cap, you may very well be a good surgical candidate. Ears normally project 15 – 18cm from the head in the mid-portion of the ear. If your ears protrude beyond that distance, surgery can position the ears to these normal distances.

The Consultation

A consultation prior to Otoplasty is a discussion between patient and physician to determine if the patient has reasonable expectations based on what surgery can provide. Measurements will be taken to see if the ears do in fact stick out further than normal. Once an agreement has been reached, and both doctor and patient are satisfied with the agreement, the details of the surgery can be decided upon.

Day of Surgery

Prior to sedation, surgeon and patient will review the pending surgery and expected outcome.

Surgery

The surgery may last between two and three hours. A pre-determined sequence of cartilage manipulations will assist the surgeon in crafting the ears into a more normal shape and protrusion from the head. When the surgery is completed, each ear is packed with medicated gauze to minimize the chance for fluid collection between the skin and cartilage. A bulky bandage is wrapped around the head to hold the gauze packing in place. Otoplasty surgery carries little risk and can be done as an outpatient procedure in any accredited facility.