Otoplasty of the ears: what is it, to whom it is shown and to whom it is contraindicated



Ear correction refers to cosmetic surgery and is recommended for changing the size or shape of auricles. This procedure is known as otoplasty.

It is one of the most common plastic surgery.

According to statistics, in the USA alone in 2016, 36,547 ear correction procedures were performed.

The ideal time for otoplasty of the ears - the age of 5 years, when the child is in kindergarten. By that time, the child’s ear is 85% formed and other children begin to notice physical differences, which often lead to ridicule.

If parents missed this age, otoplasty is performed between the ages of 12 and 16 years. Such an operation is often carried out by young working men and girls whose parents were previously unable to pay for the correction of the child's auricle.

For children, the operation is always performed under local anesthesia, for adults, usually under local anesthesia. As a person ages, his ear tissue begins to sag. This may affect the ability of women to wear heavy earrings. During otoplasty of the ears, dermal fillers can be inserted into the earlobe to give it a better shape.

Another by-product of aging is that the earlobes look too large. To eliminate hanging and wrinkled bows, a plastic surgeon can excise a part of them, giving the ears a more youthful appearance. The price of otoplasty in various Russian clinics varies from 22 thousand rubles (for one ear).



Indications and contraindications for surgery

Otoplasty is recommended for people with large protruding ears and with disproportionately small ears. It is also suitable for the correction of asymmetrical ears, injured auricles, and reduction of stretched earlobes.

Contraindications to the procedure are bleeding disorders, infectious diseases, diabetes, pregnancy and high patient expectations. If the patient has a tendency to form keloid (raised above the skin) scars, or in the past he had problems with wound healing, the surgeon may recommend refraining from otoplasty of the ears.

Required tests

Before surgery, the doctor will refer the patient to a series of tests, including:

• General and biochemical analysis of blood.
• Analysis of urine.
• Tests for markers of HIV, syphilis and viral hepatitis.
• ECG.
• Analysis of blood clotting (coagulogram).

Ears after otoplasty: restoration and methods of surgery

Otoplasty for children of senior school age or adult is done under local anesthesia. Children of preschool or primary school age procedure is carried out under general anesthesia.

In some plastic surgery clinics, patients are offered a new technique that involves the removal of cartilage through the skin of the ear with a needle. There will be no incision, blood loss will be minimal, and the ears after the otoplasty heal quickly. However, this method is still little tested and its long-term effects are unknown.

Currently, there are two main methods of otoplasty. The first is called the Furnass correction and involves the removal of a piece of skin behind the ear, followed by the attraction of the ear cartilage to the temporal bone. This method is shown with lop-eared .

The second method is called Mustard correction and involves cutting the posterior surface of the ear cartilage with its thinning and fixation. This operation has proven itself in the case of large protruding ears and helps to give the desired shape of the auricle.

Here's what the operation looks like step by step:

• Step 1 - local, intravenous sedation or general anesthesia. The best choice will be determined by the doctor.
• Step 2 - a cut behind the ear, it is made in a natural crease, where the ear connects with the head. The surgeon then removes the required amount of cartilage and skin to achieve the desired aesthetic effect. Sometimes the surgeon also cuts off the ear cartilage, gives it a more attractive and natural look, and then attaches the cartilage back with stitches, which remain forever.
• Step 3 - closing the cuts using suturing. They will be hidden behind the ear.
• Step 4 - View the results of ear correction after otoplasty. Ear plastics offer an immediate primary result in the case of a lop-ear, but the final results will be visible a week or two after the operation.

Rehabilitation and recovery

The first night, the patients will wear a compression bandage, which some doctors jokingly call the “Princess Leia” bandage. It is removed in the morning after surgery. During the first few days after surgery, the patient's ears may ache and swell, or lose sensitivity. In addition, a slight tingling sensation may be felt in the operated area for several weeks. Children often suffer postoperative discomfort much better than adults. The first day after the procedure is the most painful.

This is due to the need to wear a compression bandage at night to prevent the accumulation of blood in the operated area. After the bandage is removed, most of the discomfort will be gone. The patient may have to wear a bandage around his head for the first few days to protect his ears after an otoplasty from infection. You will have to give up washing your hair during this time. Some surgeons recommend wearing a bandage and at night for several weeks to protect the ears during sleep.

In the area of ​​the ears there may be slight bruising and bruising, which will be held after two weeks. It is advisable to postpone returning to work or school until the bruises disappear. Pain can be treated at home with painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Within a few weeks after the otoplasty, swimming and activities that can injure the ears should be avoided - for example, judo or gymnastics.

• Within 5-10 days after the otoplasty, stitches will be removed (if they were not made with insoluble stitches) and the bandage is removed.
• After a week or two, most children and adults will be able to return to normal activities.
• After eight weeks, the ears after the otoplasty will completely return to normal and it will be possible to go swimming.
• After 12 weeks it will be possible to engage in contact sports.
• After correction of the auricle, there will be a small scar behind each ear and, possibly, minor dents around the ears.

Correction of the auricle can sometimes lead to various complications, such as inflammation of the ear cartilage and the formation of blood clots in the skin of the ear. Any type of surgery also carries a slight risk of excessive bleeding and infection of the area where the incision was made, as well as an allergic reaction to the anesthetic.

Otoplasty of the ears: reviews of doctors and patients

Doctors speak positively about the results of the correction of lop-earedness. For them, such an operation enters the category of routine and is performed, on average, in 1.5 hours.

Complications after it are rare, and the recovery period in patients is relatively short.

What can be difficult otoplasty ears? Reviews of doctors suggest that a rare plastic surgeon can achieve the ideal similarity of the operated and "natural" ear.

If you look closely at many photos after the operation, you can find small differences in the size or shape of the ears. Therefore, it is important that patients have real expectations from otoplasty.

Patient Reviews

Of course, when deciding on otoplasty of the ears, feedback from previous patients plays an important role. And when studying these reviews it becomes clear that the procedure is successful in most cases.

Many photos and videos of “before” and “after” show dramatic differences in both the shape and size of the ears, and in the facial expression of patients who decide to go totopology. Thanks to her, people become more self-confident, no longer ashamed of their own appearance.

Kira, Moscow “My ears have always been sticking out. Growing up, I became very shy. I never wore horsetail hair. And swimming on the beach turned into torture, because when my hair got wet, my ears were visible to everyone. I hated the way they looked. Now that I had surgery, I definitely feel better. ”

Of course, any patient is concerned about the question of whether an unhealthy otoplasty of the ears can be. Reviews on specialized forums and websites suggest that the ear can be “broken” if you do not wear a knitted bandage during the postoperative period (it will be recommended by a doctor).

Sometimes it happens that after surgery, a keloid scar appears behind the ears, which will have to be removed. Fortunately, such complications are rare. Most of the negative reviews are mainly due to bruises, swelling and unnatural color of the ears. These are the inevitable but rapidly disappearing satellites of the rehabilitation period.

Many patients complain of ear pain after anesthesia. Otoplasty is not an experimental procedure, but a procedure well studied by plastic surgeons. And if you do it in a well-proven clinic, you can be 99.9% sure in a positive result.