Surgery on the ears: indications and contraindications



Big, lop-eared or asymmetrical ears become a real misfortune for a person who needs to look attractive. Stylists and hairdressers offer many methods of camouflaging this flaw with the help of hairstyles, but the temporary effect and constant concern of the problem are not suitable for everyone. And then plastic surgery comes to the rescue.

Surgery on the ears is a medical term called otoplasty. Surgical correction of the ears is simple and relatively safe. That is why it is carried out, even a six-year children having aesthetic defects hearing aid. After plastic manipulations, lop-eared ears disappear, the auricles become symmetrical, and large ears look neat.

Deformation of the ears can be both innate and acquired. For example, protruding ears are an anatomical feature of the structure of the organ of hearing of a particular person, and the absence of a lobe may be the result of injury, burn or frostbite. Plastic surgery solves any questions on the restoration and reshaping of the ears.

Do not confuse surgery for ears with diseases with otoplasty.

For medical reasons, surgical treatment for ear diseases is prescribed for the following ailments:



• severe form of purulent otitis;
• proliferation of polyps;
• middle ear cholesteatoma;
• rupture of the eardrum;
• violations of the functions of the vestibular apparatus (the vestibular nerve decompression);
• otosclerosis of the ear.

The operation, sanitizing the cavity of the middle ear, is called tympanoplasty. If the eardrum is restored, then talk about myringoplasty. Operations are performed by surgeons in the department of otorhinolaryngology of medical institutions.



• On the auricle
• Stitching tunnels
• Laser or scalpel
• On the earlobe
• On lop-eared

Indications for otoplasty:

• ears (protruding) ears;
• deformed ear shell;
• asymmetrical arrangement of the organs of hearing;
• swirling lobe;
• lack of ear patches;
• big ears;
• different size of ears;
• disproportionate shape of the ears.

In addition to the correction of ear defects, the otoplasty is performed at the request of the client, even if there are no indications for surgery. The unusual shape of the ears has become fashionable among young people.

For example, elf ears are popular in many countries around the world, including in Russia.

The essence of the operation is to make the upper point of the ear pointed, like in fairy-tale heroes - elves.

It looks very interesting, but not everyone thinks about the fact that the former shape of the ears is lost forever.

Otoplasty is contraindicated for the following ailments:

• blood diseases;
• oncology;
• endocrine diseases;
• ear inflammation;
• mental disorder;
• hepatitis;
• Aids;
• during menstruation;
• any infectious diseases;
• exacerbation of chronic diseases.

How is the ear plastic

Plastic surgery on the ears, as a rule, is performed under local anesthesia for adults and under anesthesia for children. General anesthesia may be recommended for adults who experience panic fear before surgery. Pain after the procedure is minor and can be easily removed with analgesics. Full tissue repair and wound healing occurs approximately six months after surgery.

Preparation for plastic surgery

Before the operation, you need to discuss all the details with the surgeon, who will carry out the correction of the ears. It is very important to achieve complete mutual understanding regarding the end result that the client wants to receive, and the surgeon’s requirements for the patient to observe certain rules before and after the operation.

Before correction of the ears, the patient should be examined by a general practitioner to exclude diseases in which surgery is contraindicated.

Mandatory diagnostics includes the following tests:

• Analysis of urine;
• general blood analysis;
• blood test for syphilis;
• blood chemistry;
• tests for hepatitis and HIV.

Plastic surgery

Plastic surgery on the ears is a fairly simple procedure, therefore, is performed on an outpatient basis. Depending on the defect of the ear, the doctor chooses the method of operation.

• The incisions in the skin, the removal of part of the soft or cartilaginous tissues are mainly performed on the back of the ear.
• After correcting the cartilage, the scars remain invisible.
• Less commonly, an incision is required on the front of the ear. In this case, the doctor chooses a place where the seam is less noticeable.
• After correction, the surgeon stitches. The ear is inserted into an antiseptic swab and applied special bandage.

The duration of operation of the defect is determined by the complexity and the average take from an hour to 2 hours. A few hours after the completion of all procedures, the patient can leave the medical facility. Repeated visit of the surgeon is carried out in a day. The doctor examines the ears and the patient can see the result.

Recovery period

During the week the patient wears a bandage and goes to the dressing at the clinic, and then the doctor removes the stitches. For sleep, it is recommended to use a fixing bandage for two months. It prevents cartilage dislocation during uncontrolled movements.

For two weeks the patient is forbidden to wet his ears. It is necessary to protect them from the sun during the hottest time of the year and from the cold wind. For two months you can not swim in the river, sea or pool. Contact sports are prohibited for six months.

The surgeon monitors the process of healing of the ear to the third and sixth month after surgery.

Possible complications:

• impaired skin sensitivity;
• hypertrophic scars;
• infectious infection (purulent otitis, perichondritis);
• inflammation of the soft tissues: edema, phlegmon;
• seam break;
• unsatisfactory aesthetic effect;
• complications associated with anesthesia.

Types of plastic surgery on the ears

Depending on the tasks that the surgeon solves, ear plastic has more than 150 types of operations, but they are all defined in two groups:

• With the aesthetic purpose, the location, shape and proportionality of the ears are changed.
• For the purpose of reconstruction, parts of auricles that were lost as a result of injury or undeveloped as a result of congenital anomalies are restored.

• Headband after otoplasty
• Ear correctors
• Otoplasty of the ears

Plastic surgery on the ears is performed by two methods:

1. Classical operation with a scalpel. Making cuts, changing the shape and position of the cartilage tissue is made with a surgical scalpel. The traditional version of the correction of the ears involves a long rehabilitation period and the wearing of a special dressing for at least a week.
2. Laser otoplasty. The operation is performed using an apparatus that generates laser beams. Unlike conventional surgical methods, it has a number of advantages: it eliminates infection, reduces blood loss, and minimally injures tissues.

What kind of surgery is performed on the ears so that they do not stick out?

Surgery on lop-eared ears is most in demand among children and adolescents. It is recommended to do it at the age of 6-7 years, since the ear is completely formed by this moment. Another reason for the operation at such an early age is that children begin to experience psychological trauma and discomfort from the appearance of their ears when interacting with their peers.

Causes of lop-eared lie in the anomalies of the structure of the ears:

• there is no antihelix;
• strongly auricle;
• earlobe sticking out;
• combination of deformations.

The operation on the ears with a lop-ear consists in changing the shape or partial removal of the cartilage so that the ears lie close to the head. The incision of the auricle is performed from the rear near the auricle. Next, the doctor performs excision, notching or removal of part of the cartilage and the imposition of a suture on it. At the same time, the depth of the auricle decreases, and an antihelix is ​​formed. At the end of work with cartilage tissue, the incision is sutured, and a bandage is applied to the ears.

Cost of plastic surgery on the ears

Ear plastics is performed in all plastic surgery centers, as it is one of the most popular surgeries. The price of otoplasty varies significantly. The lower threshold of plastic ear begins from 14,000 rubles, and the upper - over 200,000 rubles.

Such a price run is explained not so much by the complexity of the operation, as by the level of the clinic and the qualifications of plastic surgeons.

Famous masters of plastic surgery are in Israel. Otoplasty in this country will cost about $ 6,000. Not less qualified personnel works in large plastic surgery centers in Moscow, Almaty, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Minsk, Krasnodar.

When choosing a clinic and a particular surgeon, it is useful to read reviews on the Internet. On forums, there are often positive reviews about clinics in cities such as Volgograd, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Kurs, Ufa, Samara, Vladivostok, and a number of others.

How to carry out the operation to reduce the ears

The medical term for ear reduction is reduction otoplasty. The operation to reduce the ears is indicated if the person suffers from macrotia (excessively large ears). Such a defect often causes ridicule of people around and gives a person psychological discomfort. The optimal ear size is calculated based on head size and height.

The following standards for ear axis size are defined:

• 57 - 61 are women;
• 61 - 65 - men.

Reduction otoplasty can be performed on one ear, if the hearing organs are of different sizes. In this case, the ear, which is larger, is adjusted as accurately as possible with respect to the smaller ear.

The ear reduction method was first described in the middle of the 19th century. The operation involved a wedge-shaped incision for the correction of large ears. Today, there are many such techniques, and each of them is aimed at ensuring that the surgical intervention remains unnoticeable and the ears take on a beautiful shape.

When reduction surgery removes excess ear cartilage and skin. correction method is selected by the surgeon individually, depending on the body area you want to change. The procedure is carried out on an outpatient basis or under general anesthesia, if the operation is complex or the person has a strong fear.

Wearing a dressing for otoplasty - from 3 days to a week, depending on whether the operation is performed with a scalpel or a laser . The patient should be careful with the ears that have undergone surgery. You can not wet or injure them, since thin seams can easily diverge. In general, the postoperative recovery period and possible complications are the same for all types of otoplasty.

There are several main methods of reducing otoplasty:

• According to Joseph . The operation is performed on the front of the ear. The surgeon cuts strips of cartilage tissue. As a result of the procedure, the edge of the auricle is screwed in.
• According to Trendelenburg . The operation is performed by cutting out the cartilage sections in a wedge-shaped manner. Sectional view of a unit, but make additional cuts to smooth out the bumps if necessary. Stitches are applied only to the skin.
• According to Gerzuni . Excess cartilage is removed under the curl, starting from the transition into the lobe to the highest point. Postoperative sutures are invisible, as they are under the fold of the skin.

How is the correction of the ears without surgery

The topic of ear correction without surgical intervention is very relevant. The very word operation acts on some people intimidatingly, not to mention voluntarily agreeing to it. Unfortunately, ear cartilage is formed at an early age and after one year old, it is impossible to change the shape of the ears without surgery. However, the defect can be hidden the correct hairstyles, accessories and special proofreaders.

Silicone lining . What will be the shape of the ears of a person already in the first days after birth. If during this period you make some efforts to correct, then you can change the direction of the formation of the cartilage of the ear. For this purpose, we use special silicone lining, fixing his ear in the correct position. It is not always possible to achieve a significant improvement, but positive results are necessarily present. If the lop-earedness is small, then up to 5-6 years old it is possible to reduce the defect with the help of ear-bandaging headbands that are worn on the head at night.

Hairstyles Adolescents experience particular suffering from lop-ears. At this age, the correction of the ears is possible only with the help of surgery. But ugly ears can be hidden behind the hair. The main thing is to choose it correctly. For girls, haircuts such as bob, bob or graduated will be an excellent option. Long hair can be collected in the tail, but not on the back of the head, but just below the base of the skull. Boys can also pick a haircut that will cover their ears, for example, the “cap” model. Lop-eared ears will help to hide various accessories: fashionable headband, bandana, scarf, baseball cap and so on.

Corrector Ottostic . Adolescents, in the desire to hide the ears of ears, press them to the head with tape or tape. This method is ineffective and even harmful, as it causes skin irritation and microtrauma. A great alternative to otoplasty and tape is a corrector Ottostik. He holds his ears in the correct position and is almost invisible. It is applied by children from 3 years and adults.

Psychological attitude . Psychologists recommend to change their attitude to the non-standard form of the ears and to perceive them as an interesting distinctive feature. Many famous people, among whom there are popular actors and actresses, do not experience complexes about the ears of irregular shape.