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Plastic Surgery

What is Otoplasty?

What is Otoplasty?

Otoplasty is the surgical correction of prominent ear deformity characterized by over-projection of the auricle from the skull that can be seen very clearly when viewed from the front, which can cause children to be ridiculed by their friends from school age and consequently cause serious self-confidence problems in children.

How Is Otoplasty Performed?

  • Age Limit for the Surgery: Since the auricle reaches its adult size in childhood, the prominent ear is surgically corrected starting from the pre-school period, in order to prevent the psychological trauma that the child would otherwise suffer at school. There is no need to wait for the child to turn 18 for surgery.
  • Anesthesia type: It is performed under general anesthesia for children and under intravenous sedation and local anesthesia for adults.
  • Duration of surgery: It takes 1 to 3 hours depending on the technique used and the severity of deformation.
  • Before surgery: Taking blood thinners such as aspirin, green tea, vitamin E and nutritional supplements should be discontinued 15 days before the operation. Detailed information on this topic can be found on our webpage about the preoperative period.
  • Surgical technique: In the classical surgical technique, the ear cartilage is reshaped through an incision made on the posterior surface of the auricle, the missing auricle fold is created, and the skull-auricle angle is made normal. There is not a standard surgical technique; so, different techniques can be used depending on the deformation type and the surgeon’s experience.
    • It is possible to partially reshape the auricle by placing sutures, with no need to make any incision on the ear skin; however, these suture may tear the cartilage and, as a result, the auricle may return back into its original shape.
    • At the end of the surgery, dressing and bandage are applied in order to enable the ear skin to adapt to the new shape, and they should be kept in place for at least 5 days.

 After Surgery: As a precaution against the blood accumulation under the ear skin, the pressure in the auricles should be reduced by keeping the patient in a semi-sitting position from the waist. In addition, the patient should avoid strenuous movements such as straining and lifting heavy things after the operation, and should not consume blood thinners and nutritional supplements in at least the first 2 postoperative weeks.

    • Sutures placed behind the auricles are removed after 7 to 10 days; but in some cases, self-dissolving stitches are also used.
    • After the dressing period is completed, a special bandage should be used for at least 15 more days to prevent the auricle from bending forward, especially while lying. During the day when the person is awake, he or she does not need to use the bandage.
    • The ear skin is more edematous and pink in the first month, but it then becomes thinner over time and takes its final shape.

Some creams are applied to the surgical scar behind the auricle, and it takes 1 year for the scar to take its final shape on average.

Risks and Complications of the Procedure

  • Infection
  • Blood accumulation under the ear skin
  • Circulatory disorder and tissue loss in the ear skin
  • Poor healing of the incision scar
  • Unsatisfactory aesthetic appearance 
  • Asymmetry

Dos and Don’ts after Otoplasty

Otoplasty operations take 1.5 to 2 hours on average. Otoplasty operation that can be performed under local anesthesia for adults is performed under general anesthesia for children. A bandage is applied to the auricle in such a way as to fit the new folds, and the patient is discharged home the same day or the next day after surgery.

After otoplasty, the patient lies down with the head elevated.

In order to avoid any bleeding complications, the patient should avoid strenuous movements such as straining and lifting heavy things after the operation, In addition, blood thinning drugs such as aspirin, and herbal products such as green tea should not be consumed.

After otoplasty, the bandage should be kept in place for the first five postoperative days. Afterwards, a special tape is used for 6 weeks to prevent the auricles from bending forward and folding, especially at night, but the patient can continue his/her daily life without the need for this tape during the day.

After otoplasty, the skin of the auricle is more edematous than normal in the first month, but over time, the skin becomes thinner and its color completely returns to normal. Silicone-containing creams are applied to the surgical scar behind the auricle, and it takes 1 year for the scar to take its final shape on average.

You can fill out the contact form or call us at our contact numbers to get detailed information about the otoplasty procedure performed to make the auricles more proportional to the person’s face by correcting the deformity called prominent ear, which is defined as protruding auricles that look more angled and prominent than normal when viewed from the front.

2024 Otoplasty Prices in Istanbul

To get an otoplasty price, the patient needs to undergo a detailed examination. An otoplasty price can only be offered after this examination. You can reach us using the contact details to get examined, make an appointment or ask your questions.

References

  1. Prominent Ear

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Will I Feel Any Pain During the Operation?

Since local anesthesia will be applied to the ear area at the beginning of the operation, you will feel no pain.

When Can I Take A Bath After The Operation?

You can take a shower any time you want, provided that you keep your ears dry. The waiting period required for the removal of the dressings from your ears and for you to be able to take a full shower is 10 days on average. 

How Long Does It Take For Full Recovery After Surgery?

In the first postoperative month, edema and swelling in the ear skin subside and the auricles look more natural. It will take 3 months for the suture lines to reach their strongest states. It takes 1 to 2 years for the incision scars behind the auricles to take their final forms. You can get more information about the postoperative period at https://en.cengizacikel.com/what-are-the-dos-and-donts-after-plastic-surgery/

Will I Need to Have Another Operation After The Operation?

If the first operation could not provide the desired improvement, or if there are minimal asymmetries, a retouch or revision procedure may be required. 

Is There Any Age Limit for the Otoplasty?

Otoplasty can be performed after 6 years of age. In particular, children with severe prominent ear deformities may be ridiculed by their schoolmates, and this may negatively affect their psychological well-being. It is known that treating such children at an early age is beneficial for them to have a more problem-free school period. 

How Frequent Should Post-Operative Control Examinations Be?

In my own practice, I call my patients for control examinations 5 and 10 days, 1, 3, 6 months and 1 year after the operation. I also state that they can come for control at any time when they need. 

Will It Be Noticeable That I Have Had Otoplasty?

Otoplasty leaves an incision scar behind the ear that usually does not attract attention. For this reason, it will not be noticeable that you have had otoplasty unless this scar is sought behind your auricle on purpose.

Can a Protruding Ear Be Corrected Non-Surgically?

Since the ear cartilages of a newborn are still soft because of the hormones passed from the mother, it is possible to reshape them to a certain extent with the help of splints. However, surgical intervention at an advanced age is absolutely necessary. The procedure that reshapes the auricle only with the help of a thread is helpful for a very limited patient group, and there is a risk of recurrence of the deformity after the operation. In my own practice, I access the ear cartilage through an incision made behind the auricle, reshape the cartilage with permanent sutures, and then close the incision. 

Will I Face Problems After Surgery?

As with all other surgical procedures, this procedure carries some risks including the risk of complications. Problems such as blood accumulation under the ear skin, infection, wound dehiscence, circulatory disorder in the ear skin, loss of skin, noticeable scar behind the ear, and poor aesthetic improvement may be encountered.

Will the Surgery Cause Any Problems with Hearing?

Reshaping the auricle does not cause hearing problems.

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