EAR CORRECTION (OTOPLASTY)

Ear Correction (Otoplasty) surgery is usually performed to set prominent ears back closer to the head or to reduce the size of large ears. This type of defect is relatively common and is often accompanied by psychological trauma. Children thus affected are often the butt of cruel jokes by their peers, making this type of surgery especially common between the ages of 6 and 8, although it may be carried out at any age, with highly satisfactory and permanent results.
Ear Correction surgery involves slight risks. An exhaustive pre-op study therefore needs to be undertaken, with analysis, cardio-respiratory checks and a photographic study.

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SURGICAL PROCEDURE

Ear Correction (Otoplasty) is carried out under light neuroleptoanalgesia, or sedation, with some local anaesthetic, the effects of which last 3 to 4 hours. Surgerys under a general anaesthetic are rare. The surgery as such lasts 2 hours, with the incision hidden in a retroauricular fold. The skin is lifted toward the cartilage of the helix close to Darwin's tubercle, with a re-contouring of the anti-helix fold with trans-cartilage suture. If the ear shell is too large, it is preferable to partially re-section the external oblique muscle toward the mastoid bone, with the ear shell then positioned without traction. The surgery is completed by intradermic suture and a compressible bandage is placed on the affected area

POST SURGERY PERIOD

Complications are rare and can be prevented by employing a rigorous surgical technique, with results which are always satisfactory. This approach also prevents after effects from arising. The appearance of edemas is normal, with these tending to disappear after a few days. It is rare for bruising, infection and pericondritis to occur.

COMPLICATIONS AND AFTER EFFECTS

The most common after effects are hyper-correction, which tends to be more evident to the surgeon than to the patient, and hypertrophic scarring and keloids on cut lines.