Ear correction

Operation duration: 1–1.5 hours
Insensitive: Local or general
Post-operative care: Outpatient, same-day patient discharge home
Repeat operation: Performed once
Results: Long-term

Ear correction is a quite common surgery performed on people of all ages. Most often, both ears are operated on, but in some cases, only one ear is corrected, depending on the need. During the surgery, existing defects are corrected: protruding ears are brought closer to the head, their shape, size, and various deformities can be altered.

Correction of protruding ears is the most common aesthetic surgery performed on children. Ear shape is determined genetically, meaning it is inherited from parents or grandparents. Ears are fully formed by 6-7 years of age, so this surgery can be performed before school to prevent the child from experiencing bullying from peers. „Normal ears” are considered those where the distance between the head and the auricle is 1.5-2 cm and all their folds are formed. The most common causes of protruding ears are an unformed antihelix fold, large conchas, or an abnormal concha position relative to the head.

Operation

Ear surgery is usually performed under local anesthesia, although general anesthesia is sometimes used. The surgery is completely painless, although various sounds, such as cartilage cracking, can be heard during the procedure. The most unpleasant part is the anesthesia procedure – the injection of medication. Children aged 6-7 tolerate this surgery very well.

Otoplasty surgery lasts 1.5–2 hours. During the procedure, a new antihelix fold is formed by removing a portion of cartilage, the ear concha is reduced by removing a portion of cartilage, and the ear is repositioned and fixed closer to the head. After the surgery, the ears are fixed with a special dressing – „ear cups.” The patient is admitted, operated on, and discharged home on the same day.

After surgery

After the operation, the patient wears a bandage for a week and tries not to lie on their side. Sutures are removed after a week. Post-operative pain is more pronounced on the first day, and bleeding may occur, which manifests as the bandage becoming soaked with fresh blood. In such cases, immediate contact with the operating surgeon is necessary.
After the stitches are removed, the patient wears a sports splint on their ears at night for 6–8 weeks. After the surgery, the ears may be numb, sensitive to touch, and stiff. All these changes disappear after 6–8 months.

Dr. G. Papečkys's commentary

Ear surgery is one of the most popular aesthetic procedures, most often performed on children, although adults who have long considered it due to discomfort with their ear shape may also undergo surgery.
This operation is usually recommended for children aged 6–7 before they start school, as the ears are fully formed by then, and the child can avoid psychological trauma due to peer bullying. When the ears protrude significantly, there are no questions about the necessity of correction. The situation is more subtle when the ear shape is slightly imperfect. In this case, the patient must make a clear decision themselves and communicate their wishes precisely to the surgeon.
It should be noted that beautiful, well-proportioned, symmetrical ears are a very important element of facial aesthetics, therefore a person changes significantly and becomes more beautiful after the surgery.
Although ear surgery is considered a straightforward operation and one of the first that any aesthetic surgery novice starts with, in reality, it requires precise work from the doctor, an understanding of aesthetics so that the newly formed ear is not only not protruding but also looks natural, and that the signs of surgery are not visible. The surgeon must have experience so that the result is permanent, as cartilage has the property of returning to its original position.
So, ear correction is an effective aesthetic surgery that helps shape facial harmony, aesthetics, and beauty, which is why patients are usually very satisfied with its results, enjoying naturally looking ears.