OTOPLASTY
A DISTINCTIVELY DIFFERENT PRACTICE
EXPERIENCE EXTRAORDINARY
What is Otoplasty?
Corrective ear surgery, also known as otoplasty, is a procedure to help improve the shape, position, or proportion of the ear. The ear abnormality could have been present at birth or acquired during trauma. If protruding or disfigured ears bother you or your child, you may consider corrective ear surgery. Patients often report a high level of satisfaction with this procedure as it can greatly improve self-esteem.
Surgery can treat overly large ears (a condition called macrotia), protruding ears on one or both sides, and other ear abnormalities. The goals of surgery include creating a natural ear shape so that the ear appears balanced with the face and head. Children are good surgical candidates if they are relatively healthy, cooperative with instructions, five years old or older, and do not voice strong objections to surgery. Teenagers and adults are good surgical candidates if they are relatively healthy with an apparent deformity and realistic surgical expectations.
About the Procedure:
Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. The choices include local anesthesia combined with intravenous sedation or general anesthesia. Dr. Hewell and/or Dr. Fischer will discuss which anesthesia option is best for you.
The diagram below shows the normal structures of the external ear. Correction of protruding ears commonly involves defining or recreating the antihelical fold, reduction of the concha, and/or conchal setback. Additionally, the lobules can be setback if they are protruding.
The incisions for otoplasty are typically made on the back of the ear. Internal (non-removable) sutures are used to shape the cartilage. External (removable) sutures are then used to close the skin. Corrective ear surgery results for protruding ears are immediately visible when the dressings are removed. When the ears are positioned closer to the head, the incision line is well camouflaged along the back of the ear.
Corrective ear surgery, also known as otoplasty, is a procedure to help improve the shape, position, or proportion of the ear. The ear abnormality could have been present at birth or acquired during trauma. If protruding or disfigured ears bother you or your child, you may consider corrective ear surgery. Patients often report a high level of satisfaction with this procedure as it can greatly improve self-esteem.
Surgery can treat overly large ears (a condition called macrotia), protruding ears on one or both sides, and other ear abnormalities. The goals of surgery include creating a natural ear shape so that the ear appears balanced with the face and head. Children are good surgical candidates if they are relatively healthy, cooperative with instructions, five years old or older, and do not voice strong objections to surgery. Teenagers and adults are good surgical candidates if they are relatively healthy with an apparent deformity and realistic surgical expectations.
About the Procedure:
Medications are administered for your comfort during the surgical procedure. The choices include local anesthesia combined with intravenous sedation or general anesthesia. Dr. Hewell and/or Dr. Fischer will discuss which anesthesia option is best for you.
The diagram below shows the normal structures of the external ear. Correction of protruding ears commonly involves defining or recreating the antihelical fold, reduction of the concha, and/or conchal setback. Additionally, the lobules can be setback if they are protruding.
The incisions for otoplasty are typically made on the back of the ear. Internal (non-removable) sutures are used to shape the cartilage. External (removable) sutures are then used to close the skin. Corrective ear surgery results for protruding ears are immediately visible when the dressings are removed. When the ears are positioned closer to the head, the incision line is well camouflaged along the back of the ear.
FAQ’s
If you are a smoker, you should stop smoking to improve your body’s healing potential. Dr. Hewell and Dr. Fischer ask that you avoid aspirin, ibuprofen, herbal supplements, and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAID) drugs two weeks prior to surgery as these medications can increase bleeding. If you have diabetes, good blood sugar control is important to help maximize healing and minimize the risk of infection.
Corrective ear surgery can be performed with local anesthesia under either intravenous sedation, or general anesthesia. Dr. Hewell and/or Dr. Fischer will discuss which anesthesia option is best for you or your child during your consultation.
Yes, corrective ear surgery can be safely performed in an accredited office-based surgical facility. Dr. Hewell and Dr. Fischer’s office ambulatory surgical facility is accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF). Established in 1980, AAAASF holds outpatient and office-based facilities to hospital standards and assures the public that patient safety is the top priority in a facility. Corrective ear surgery can be performed under intravenous sedation or general anesthesia at their facility.
