Things to consider before surgery...
If you consider otoplasty, the first step to take is to consult a plastic surgeon. During your meeting with your surgeon, you should share openly your expectations about your appearance and feeling better after surgery.
Before any plastic surgery, being in an emotionally balanced state is one of the most important conditions. Plastic surgery will improve your appearance and refresh your self-confidence.
After your examination your surgeon will discuss with you other things that will affect the decisions on the surgical procedure. Otoplasty is usually performed at 5-6 years of age, when the ear has almost completed its development. Especially if the deformity in the ear is considerably noticeable, performing this surgical procedure before the child starts school can prevent him/her from facing psychological problems at school.
During the first consultation, your surgeon will explain you the specific details about the surgical technique to be used, the type of anesthesia, the hospital where the surgery will be performed, and what you must expect from the surgical operation realistically. During the consultation, you should also discuss with your surgeon the other factors such as the risks and costs, which should be considered before deciding on otoplasty.
Every year thousands of women undergo successful otoplasty operations. However, you should be aware of the potential risks involved in any surgical operation, as well as the specific potential complications that this surgical procedure involves. Despite being rare, infection and blood accumulation may occur. However, these are problems that can be easily solved. If you follow your surgeon’s care recommendations during the recovery period, your risk of complications will be minimal.
Otoplasty prices and the related material costs may vary slightly. There may be extra costs depending on the type of anesthesia and the hospital where the surgery will be performed.
Surgical Intervention...
Otoplasty is typically a surgical procedure performed to correct disproportion in the ear by reshaping the middle part (Figure 1). The procedure to be performed may differ depending on the surgeon’s plan and the patient’s demands. Based on the surgeon’s advice, the surgery can be performed in hospital conditions or in a well-equipped clinic. In general, otoplasty operations are performed in an operating room environment in hospitals.
Otoplasty can be performed very easily under local anesthesia by numbing around the ear. If the surgery will be performed under general anesthesia, you will be asleep throughout the entire operation.
Otoplasty can be performed using a variety of techniques. In the most common technique, the surgeon accesses the cartilage of the ear through an incision made on the back of the ear (Figure 2). Then, he/she folds the cartilage on itself with sutures and reshape the cartilage (Figure 3). Sometimes the surgeon reshapes the cartilage by just weakening it, instead of folding it on itself with sutures.
At the end of the cartilage shaping process, the incision line is closed with sutures. When the ear reshaped, it is closer to the head (Figure 4).
The surgical procedure usually takes one to two hours or a little bit longer.
Postoperative Recovery of Otoplasty...
After the surgery, the ears are covered with large dressings in such a way as to keep them a position where they cannot move. Mild pain and discomfort can be experienced after the surgery, but they can be controlled with drugs. If the procedure is performed in a hospital, the patient is discharged the next after surgery.
The dressing is removed a couple of days after the surgery. As the healing process continues, gradually lighter dressing is applied and the ears are kept under moderate pressure by wearing a headband for 3 to 4 weeks.
The primary purpose of otoplasty is to give a better shape to the ears and keep them in a suitable position. Since the incision will be hidden in the fold behind the ear, the scar will not be considerably noticeable.
You will be able to stand up within 1 to 2 hours after the surgical operation. Based on your medical condition, your plastic surgeon will determine and recommend the program about your return to normal life. The time to return to normal activities will depend on your wound healing speed and how you feel.
This brochure is intended to give preliminary information about otoplasty. When you consider plastic surgery, you should not hesitate to ask your surgeon questions about the subjects mentioned in this brochure and any other subjects that you may want to get information about.
