- Protruding ears, prominent ears , bat ears are synonyms that describes an ear sticking far away from your head with more than 2 cms. It’s usually in both ears however sometimes it affects only one ear. If it bothers you or if your kid is bullied at school or it has any psychological impact on you, you might consider “otoplasty” .Otoplasty is the surgery to correct prominent ears by reshaping of the defective cartilage framework and removal of the excess skin.
Who is Indicated for otoplasty
- At least one of your ears or both sticking out of your head so much
- You think your ear is larger than it should be
- Those who had a previous otoplasty and unsatisfied with the results.
- Other cases like cup ears/lopears
When to consider prominent ear surgery
otoplasty should be done after the age of 5-6 years old for the following reasons;- not to affect the cartilage growth of your child ear
- Also to avoid the psychological trauma and bullying that could happen in this age at school.
Infants and babies parents who might be concerned about their kids protruding ears may consider non-surgical options like earwell or earbuddies.
Adults are safe to perform otoplasty at any age.
The procedure
The technique for surgery varies from one case to another according to :- Age
- Cartilage malleability
- Type of deformity;whether you need correction in the upper third of the ear, upper and middle third or the whole ear.
Dr Mohamed Ashraf will explain exactly what technique is suitable for your case in your consultation and the expected results
Incisions are made behind the ear around the crease between the head and ear which makes hardly seen by others from any direction.
The cartilage framework is dealt with accordingly and excess skin are excised.
Recovery from prominent ears surgery
Day 1 (day of surgery) The patient will be discharged from the hospital a couple of hours after the procedure with prescriptions and some instructions. Day 3 (after surgery) - Follow-up visit and bandage is changed.
- Dressing instructions are given to the patient or the parents.
Day 7 (after surgery) Follow-up visit Day 10 (after surgery) Sutures removal if it didn’t break down on its own You’ll have a bandage around your ear day and night for 5-7 days after surgery, and only at night for another couple of weeks.
The bandage should be loose.How long does a prominent ear surgery usually take?
Depends on the case if it’s just one prominent ear, or its both ears. So it usually takes from 1 hour to 3 hours.
Is Prominent ear surgery (otoplasty) painful?
No, with normal analgesics after the surgery it’s not painful. However mild pain usually normal but if the pain is severe you should immediately consult your surgeon.
What Type of anesthesia is used in prominent ear surgery?
Local anesthesia, or general anesthesia. However in children it’s usually general anesthesia.
Are the results for an otoplasty permanent?
Yes, results should be permanent after the procedure
Do you perform metal clips otoplasty procedure?
Metal clip outpatient otoplasty procedure is a relatively new technique with a few published studies regarding it’s safety and longevity. So the answer is No i don’t use metal clips in any of my cases.
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