OTOPLASTY
Prominent or protruding ear is an alteration characterized by the absence cartilaginous folds and/or increase of the ear shell cartilage, leaving an excessively open angle between the ear and the skull. When alongside a naturally big ear, the deformity does stand out. The surgical correction is done through an incision behind the ear, becoming, with time, an imperceptible scar. Micro incisions in the cartilage become subtle folds that enable the positioning to a pre-defined spot, resulting in a natural anatomic look.
Such procedure may be done from school age on, in children as young as 5 to 6 years of age, once at such stage, the ear is practically developed. Surgery may be done under local or general anesthesia, without the need for hospital internment. The recovery is quick, practically painless, without edema and hematoma as used to be in the past, resultant from delicate technique. Therefore, we don´t recommend wear nightcap any more. The patient is back to his routine in 3 to 4 days.
Pre & Post Surgical
Recommendations:
- Avoid taking aspirin 3 weeks before the surgical procedure.
- Fasting for 8 hours prior to the surgical procedure.
- Hospital patient discharge in 2 to 3 hours after the surgery. Bandage over the ears is removed after 24 hours.
- After removing the bandage, the ears will be swollen and bruised, although minimum as compared as the old manner of doing this surgery. A small retroauricular dressing will be placed.
- Stitches will be removed from 10-14 days after the surgery.
- Avoid wetting the area on the first 14 days.
Because of the edema, small, but in restricted area, the ears will not be in the desirable position initially, where the definitive result will appear in a few weeks or months, being necessary, as in any other surgery, eventual adjustments in some cases.
