|
Otoplasty is a surgery performed to correct the appearance of large or prominent ears. This condition is usually inherent to a person since birth and is not only a physical defect but often a cause of permanent stress and sometimes serious psychological problems.
What is otoplasty?
Otoplasty (from Greek “Othos” - ear) is a general term for plastic surgery on ears. Most often it is surgical correction of squarrose ears. The goal of this surgery is to change the position and sometimes shape of an ear to reduce the distance between the rear edge of external ear and postotic area and achieve more proportional appearance of the ear. Various otoplasty methods are known since 1840s, modern methods of cosmetic otoplasty have been formed about 50 years ago.
When is it better to perform otoplasty?
The surgery is usually done at the age of 5-6 years before a child goes to school where their appearance could cause uneasiness and insularity in contacts with classmates.
How important for the otoplasty are psychological factors?
Emotional stability is a major factor for any cosmetic surgery. Most children are not overly concerned about their appearance at the age of 5-6 years and need primarily psychological support and approval of their parents regarding the surgery itself. At later age, especially juvenile age, there may be excessive anxiety and keen attention to their appearance. It requires special attention before the surgery. In addition operational expectations need to be openly discussed during consultation with the surgeon.
How is otoplasty performed?
Surgical techniques may vary depending on anatomical reasons of ear deformity and surgeon decisions. The sense of the surgery is to create more prominent fold in the medium part of the auricle; this is achieved by plasty of auricular cartilage. Skin area at the rear surface of the auricle is removed; part of cartilaginous tissue is also removed or folded to form more natural appearance of the ear.
Where are section lines located and are postoperative cicatrices visible?
Section line and postoperative cicatrices are situated in the natural fold on the rear surface of the auricle and are not visible from the outside. Excessive development of cicatrical tissue (keloidosis) is quite rare and is not related to the quality of operative intervention. The best choice in such case is to remove cicatrices with the help of laser scalpel.
Preparation for the operation
The patient has to be in good health (no chill or other diseases in this period). The patient has to undergo an examination (blood and urine analysis, fluorography of thorax organs, electrocardiogram) and be examined by the Center anesthesiologist.
If the patient smokes, he/she has to stop smoking at least 2 weeks before the surgery and desist from smoking for at least 2-3 weeks after it. Otherwise there is a risk of wound healing disturbance because smoking significantly reduces blood supply to skin vessels.
If the patient takes some drugs he/she needs to discuss the permissibility of it with the doctor during preliminary consultation.
Anesthesia
Anesthesiologist determines the variant of anesthesia during preliminary consultation. The surgery may be performed under general or local anesthesia combined with sedative preparations.
Operation
The patient goes to clinic on the surgery day and undergoes a short preparation. Auricle shape is formed through operative intervention in auricular cartilage and is fixed with special inner stitches.
Surgery duration is 0.5-1 hour. After the procedure soft bulky dressing is applied that is removed on the next day.
Postoperative period
If the patient feels good, he/she may leave the clinic in a few hours after the surgery. Sometimes it is necessary to wear special fixative dressing 24 hours a day during one week and elastic dressing for a night during one month.
Stitches are removed on the 7th day. Sometimes there is a pronounced tissue edema for several days and skin color change (“bruises”) caused by subcutaneous hemorrhage that disappears in 2-3 weeks.
Virtually everybody has some differences in shape and position of auricles. Some differences will remain after any surgery too.
Possible complications
Otoplasty does not cause pronounced complications. However tissue edema in the area of intervention, temporary change of sensitivity, slight pain can be observed during postoperative period. Sometimes the effect of surgery decreases over time and second surgery might be necessary. To prevent this it is necessary to wear elastic head dressing at nights during 3-4 weeks after the surgery and thoroughly follow the surgeon’s recommendations. Perfect symmetry of right and left auricle should not be expected.
Any general surgical complications can develop after the surgery. The following complications are specific for this type of surgery:
- After elimination of pronounced protruded ears auricle cartilaginous pattern may change;
- Sometimes partial loss of auricle shape is possible after the surgery which may require a corrective surgery;
- Keloid cicatrices may form along section lines. This is quite rare complication that is related to individual reaction of organism tissues on operative intervention and does not depend on surgery quality
It must be noticed that complications happen very rarely after otoplasty. The surgery itself significantly improves the patient’s appearance. |
