Otoplasty
If you notice problems with your child’s ears after they are one month old, they will generally need a formal otoplasty. The goal of an otoplasty is to re-shape your child’s own ear cartilage and skin to create a more normal appearance which avoids drawing unwanted attention. If the deformity is more severe, treatment may also require borrowing some cartilage or skin grafts from the opposite ear. In general, an otoplasty is not performed till your child is about 5 years old. At this age, the cartilage is firmer and easier to work with, and the ear itself is near adult size. This means that the results of the surgery will be better and more durable, and the surgery is still performed before significant social pressures occur.
An otoplasty is an outpatient procedure, meaning that your child will be able to go home the same day as surgery. An incision is made on the back of the ear, and sometimes extra skin is removed. This leaves a scar that heals well, and is well camouflaged. Occasionally, we will need to make incisions on the front of the ear. The skin is then lifted off of the cartilage, and the cartilage is reshaped. This may require rasping, bending, cutting, removing, and/or suturing the cartilage. By doing so, we try to re-create the normal folds and contours of a typical ear. If the ear is prominent, the ear cartilage may also be sutured down to the tough tissue behind the ear to “pin it back”. Once we are happy with the shape, the skin is re-draped, and the incisions are closed with absorbable sutures and skin glue. A special head wrap dressing well then be applied, which protects the ears. This should stay on until we see you back in the office a week later. Your child will have to refrain from sports, or gym class for about a month to prevent any trauma to the ears while they are healing. We will have your child wear a special soft headband over the ears to protect them and help hold their shape. It is worn continuously for several weeks, and then for about 3 months at night while sleeping.
An otoplasty is an outpatient procedure, meaning that your child will be able to go home the same day as surgery. An incision is made on the back of the ear, and sometimes extra skin is removed. This leaves a scar that heals well, and is well camouflaged. Occasionally, we will need to make incisions on the front of the ear. The skin is then lifted off of the cartilage, and the cartilage is reshaped. This may require rasping, bending, cutting, removing, and/or suturing the cartilage. By doing so, we try to re-create the normal folds and contours of a typical ear. If the ear is prominent, the ear cartilage may also be sutured down to the tough tissue behind the ear to “pin it back”. Once we are happy with the shape, the skin is re-draped, and the incisions are closed with absorbable sutures and skin glue. A special head wrap dressing well then be applied, which protects the ears. This should stay on until we see you back in the office a week later. Your child will have to refrain from sports, or gym class for about a month to prevent any trauma to the ears while they are healing. We will have your child wear a special soft headband over the ears to protect them and help hold their shape. It is worn continuously for several weeks, and then for about 3 months at night while sleeping.
