Chirurgie des oreilles

Otoplasty

Otoplasty (ear surgery) is a cosmetic procedure that aims to improve the appearance of the ears. Otoplasty does not affect hearing and it provides important psychological benefits to anyone who is teased about the size and/or shape of their ears, who has had a serious injury, or who simply wants to improve their appearance. Otoplasty is usually performed to bring protruding ears closer to the head (ear pinning) or to reduce the size of overly large ears. Otoplasty may also be useful to correct the following abnormalities:

• Malformations
• Cauliflower ears (resulting from repeated trauma)
• Oversized, stretched or torn earlobes
• Earlobes with large folds or wrinkles
• Microtia (small, malformed ear)

New ears or ear parts can be made for patients who do not have ears due to birth defects, serious injuries or skin cancers.

Candidates for otoplasty

People of any age who are self-conscious about their ears may be good candidates for otoplasty. Otoplasty is not for everyone; the patient must be in good general health and have realistic expectations of what it can do.

How otoplasty works

Otoplasty usually takes 2 to 3 hours and is performed on an outpatient basis. The type of anesthesia used depends on the patient's age; general anesthesia is recommended for very young patients and local anesthesia with sedation for older children and adults.

Otoplasty begins with a small incision in the natural crease behind the ear. The cartilage is then shaped and folded to achieve the desired appearance. In some types of otoplasty the skin is removed, but the cartilage is left in one piece and simply folded back on itself to create a less prominent ear.

After shaping the cartilage into the desired shape, stitches and a bandage will be used to hold the ear in place until healing is complete.

Recovery time after otoplasty

Although the ears may be sore for several days, the patient will feel normal within a few hours of surgery. Medications will be prescribed to help relieve any discomfort. A few days after otoplasty, the head bandages will be replaced with a dressing that will be worn for about a week while the stitches are removed. Otoplasty patients should avoid sleeping on their sides for the first 2 weeks after surgery. Most patients can return to their daily activities about 1 week after otoplasty.

After complete healing, slight scars are usually visible behind the ears. These fade over time and, thanks to strategic placement, are virtually invisible.