A common form of reconstructive surgery is an otoplasty, which essentially refers to ear surgery.
Reconstructive surgery is a kind of plastic surgery that’s designed to treat portions of the body such as the ear that have been damaged by trauma, congenital defects, tumors, disease, or infection. The main focus of these surgical procedures is typically to enhance the function of the body part.
However, these procedures will almost always improve the appearance of the area as well.
What Is Otoplasty?
An otoplasty procedure is a form of cosmetic ear surgery that provides you with the ability to correct an issue with the shape, appearance, or condition of your ear. Otoplasty procedures can be simplistic or complex depending on the exact issue that’s being corrected. This surgery is typically reserved for anyone over the age of five. If a baby is born with a congenital defect or similar issue that has caused the ears to be too prominent or misshapen, using ear splints immediately after the birth may be able to fix the problem before surgery is needed.
What An Otoplasty Is Used For
An otoplasty procedure is meant to be used for the correction of a variety of issues, which includes overly large ears, dissatisfaction from a previous ear surgery, or having protruding ears. If you suffer from protruding ears, otoplasty can treat cases that involve one or both of the ears. The severity of the protrusion doesn’t make a difference in whether or not someone qualifies for an otoplasty. If your child is having problems with the shape or size of their ears, they will be a good candidate for this surgery if they don’t voice any objections to the surgery and are cooperative throughout the procedure. Children who undergo this surgery should also be healthy, which means that they shouldn’t currently be suffering from a chronic ear infection or life-threatening illness. The same is true for adults who are looking to obtain this surgery.
Potential Risks To Consider
As with all types of surgery, there are inherent risks that come with the otoplasty procedure. Scars will occur at the incision site. While these scars are permanent, they will be hidden behind your ears. You could also experience changes in the sensation of your skin as well as problems with your stitches. You should look out for possible signs of bleeding or an infection as well.
What to Expect During the Treatment
All otoplasty procedures begin with a dose of anesthesia. The technique that’s used during the surgery depends on what type of correction is necessary. The incisions that are placed during surgery could occur along the inside ear creases or at the back of your ear. Once the incisions have been made, it’s possible that the surgeon will remove some skin or cartilage in order to ensure that the problem is corrected. All incisions are then closed with stitches or sutures. The treatment can last anywhere from 1.5-2 hours.