What to Expect
- Average Time: Two to three hours
- Anesthesia: Local
- Am I a good candidate? Adults, in good health, self-conscious of their ears; children, in good health, at least 5 years old and able to adequately make their feelings known and not protest when surgery is mentioned
- Recovery: Recovery instructions will be given to you post-surgery.
- Risks: Bleeding, infection, poor healing, recurrence, and anesthesia risks
- Inpatient/Outpatient: Outpatient
- Cost: The cost of the procedure will be discussed at your consultation with Dr. Peterson.
Ear surgery, also known as otoplasty, can be used to correct a defect in the structure of the ear that is present at birth, or one that becomes apparent with development. It is one of the few cosmetic procedures appropriate for children, but it can also help adults correct a problem that may have hurt their confidence for years or decades.
Surgery Details
Ear surgery is generally performed through incisions made in the back of the ear. In the event that this is not possible, incisions made on the front of the ear are hidden within the ear’s natural folds.
Once the incision has been made, Dr. Peterson will use it to reshape the cartilage that makes up the structure of the ear. If surgery is being performed to correct protruding ears, Dr. Peterson will increase the fold just inside the rim of the ear while reducing the deep concavity of the external ear.
How quickly you will notice results depends largely upon the amount of correction required. In cases of protruding ears, the change will be immediately noticeable when the bandages have been removed.