Plastic ear surgery
(Otoplasty)
The most required aesthetical
surgery at the plastic ear surgery is the sticking
out ear or making the ears fit to the heads. Lessening
the auricle, partial or full ear supplement or
other unusual forms of deformity, a correction
is uncommon. The operation should be above the
age of 6, it mostly happens in childhood or young
adulthood, however, there is no upper age limit.
The intervention is relatively simple and does
not present any serious burden for the patient.
The operation is made by local
anaesthesia, so there is no need for general anaesthesia.
Prior the intervention, laboratory tests are necessary
(blood, urine, ECG) which can be completed in
our clinic. The patient receives the anaesthetic
injection into his auricle, which has an immediate
effect. During the operation there is no pain
or unpleasant feeling at all.
The essence of the operation:
altering-, bending of the ear cartilage, when
needed to remove one part of the cartilage, then
fixing the new shape with inner stitches. To do
this, a several cm long incision is performed
on the back of the auricle surface and closed
with a single stitch at the end of the operation.
This heals with a thin scar behind the ear in
a hidden place. On the outer surface of the auricle
will be no visible trace of the operation afterwards,
since usually no slit is made on this part . On
the intervention area there is no need to cut
or shave the hair. The operation lasts approximately
for 1- 1,5 hours. At the end, a bandage is placed
on the head, which runs around on the ears, forehead
and the nape, leaving the top of the head free.
Following the operation the
patient can leave the clinic after a short, half
an hour resting. At home a 2 - 3 day resting is
suggested, primarily in bed. Thereafter, lighter
intellectual or physical work can be done. Exhausting
sport activities or work should be avoided, that
could result sweating beneath the bandage. There
can be pain at the first night when the effect
of the anaesthesia ceases (3 - 4 hours after operation).
Blunt, burning or throbbing pain can arise, accordingly
the use of painkiller tablets can be of help.
This pain will be weaker and disappears in few
days. The removal of the bandage and taking the
stitches out is on the 6th – 9th day. Then the
alteration is visible; the ear fits to the head,
but temporarily can be swollen, crumpled or pinkish.
These diversities are ceased within days and the
end result will last for a life time. Washing
the hair can be done, when the bandage is removed.
Swimming, hairdressing, hair dyeing can be done
in 2- 3 weeks time. Following the bandage removal
for two – three weeks, at night the wearing of
a circular strap (ramofix hair net) is necessary,
so that the freshly operated ears shape is not
deformed.
Complications:
- Haemorrhage: very rare, less than 1%
- Inflammation: probability is per thousand
- Chronic scar development: seldom, the keloid
susceptibility is increasing the possible occurrences
- Sensation disturbance, insensibility: occurs
in 4-5%, ceased within few weeks
The operation doesn’t influence the hearing in
any form. Even by complications, hearing decline
or other hearing related problems should not happen.
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