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Otoplasty, or surgery to correct protruding ears, can be performed at almost any age though the surgery is most often performed on children at age five or six when the ear has reached full development. Adult ear surgery is not only possible, but very successful. Otoplasty is especially helpful in preventing psychological trauma when the ears are corrected before the child starts school. By reshaping the cartilage and repositioning the ears, a more natural looking ear is obtained.
Traditionally, this operation has been performed through incisions placed on the back of the ear, but we are now offering an incisionless technique that allows to correct the protruding or outstanding ear deformity without making any skin incisions. This is done by placing permanent sutures through the skin and burying them in the deep tissues without making any cuts on the ear. The operation is performed under local anaesthesia in older children and adults and under general anaesthesia in children. This is an outpatient procedure. This operation has little if any chance of complications and patients enjoy a very quick recovery.
After surgery, a gauze bandage is worn overnight in children (adults do not need a dressing) and a head band is used at night for 2 weeks for comfort. Adults can return to work immediately after surgery should they wish to and children make miss a day or two of school in order to recover from the anaesthetic.
If a patient is not a candidate for the incisionless technique for any particular reason, we still offer the traditional open otoplasty in these cases.
For more information on otoplasty (ear surgery), click here. |
