Your ears hold your youth
Prominent ears can be corrected by an operation called pinnaplasty (an alternative name for the operation is otoplasty). The ears are prominent and become noticeable only when the child is older and when a man loses hair on his head. The ears just about complete all their growth at the age of four or five while the rest of face is still growing therefore the ears appear proportionately larger. The operation of bat ear correction involves shaping the cartilage from behind the ear so that it is pulled back to look less prominent and the scar remains invisible from the front and also from side.
The steps in the operation are:
a) Creating a fold in the cartilage of the ear (antihelical fold)
AND OR
b) Drawing the ear closer to the side of the head
Otoplasty can mostly be done under local anaesthetic, but in younger or more nervous patients as a day case general anaesthetic. Our surgeons and staff are very well trained in the practice of this operation and we would be glad to discuss with you the pros and cons of such surgery in your particular case.
Care to be taken before the operation
No aspirin or medicine containing aspirin should be taken for two weeks before surgery. Older patients having the operation under local anaesthetic do not need to starve before surgery and can go home immediately after surgery.
How is the operation performed?
The operation is done through an incision on the back of the ear so that no scar is visible from the front.
Postoperative Care
Care should be taken to avoid aspirin or any other painkillers which contain aspirin as this can cause bleeding. You will be advised to wear an elasticated sweatband once the bandage removed.
Contact sports should be avoided for 4 weeks. Swimming can be done after 2-3 weeks.
Corrected ears will slightly swell after the procedure. Swelling normally lasts for about 3 days and then starts reducing and will be gone a week after the operation.
No, the stitches are dissolvable and self-removing after 2-3 weeks.
Bath/ shower can be taken from the neck down without any restriction after the procedure till the head bandage is not removed. The bandage is removed and the dressings are changed between 3 and 5 days.
It is better to take a train or fly home or be driven home by another person immediately after the operation. You may drive a car once the bandage is removed.
