Ear Surgery

Otoplasty is the medical name for a surgical procedure that improves the ears’ appearance. Most individuals are interested in reducing the size or prominence of the ears, but there are also many individuals who have sustained an injury to the ear that may benefit from otoplasty.

Procedure

Many people would assume that otoplasty is a simple procedure, but to the contrary, it’s a surprisingly complex one due to the curvatures in the cartilage of the ear. Changing the shape of one area affects that of the surrounding areas, so successful surgeries require that each maneuver must complement one another.

Otoplasty involves complicated cartilage excision and cartilage stitching. A meticulous interchange of all of these techniques will produce the desired result. Due to the uniqueness of every ear, a surgical plan cannot be determined until a full examination is completed.

Recovery

Immediately after surgery, a compressive head and ear bandage is applied and must be worn at all times for the first week following the procedure. Some bruising and mild swelling will occur, but should heal within a week. It is important to avoid strenuous activity, such as running and heavy lifting, for at least one month. The delicate structures of the ear need this time to properly heal into their new position.

Results

Because of excessive protrusion of the ears, Dr. Diaz performed an otoplasty on this patient. This procedure involved an excision of a portion of the cartilage, a scoring of the cartilage to achieve weakening, and multiple cartilage-shaping stitches. In the end, the ears are closer to the side of the head and there is less prominence in the upper portion of the ears.