Otoplasty (Ear) Surgery Risks and Complications

Corrective ear surgery is generally performed to mend cosmetic or other defects resulting from any accident or injury. The most common procedure is otoplasty that is done to rectify the prominent ears in children, thus preventing their psychological trauma due to nicknames of ‘Mickey’ or ‘Dumbo’ etc. All kinds of cosmetic expectations and the risks involved must be discussed with your doctor. The preoperative and postoperative photographs can also help you to decipher the extent of fulfillment of your expectations.
As with any other kind of surgery, there are several risks and complications associated with cosmetic ear surgery. You must be well aware of these complications so that necessary precautionary steps can be taken. The most common risk is the infection of the skin or of the cartilage of the ear. The infection can become complicated if the proper course of antibiotics is not followed. A complication of ear surgery is bleeding or hematoma formation. There is an inherent risk that the result of this cosmetic or functional ear surgery does not fulfill your expectations. Any kind of poor result that might lead to a worse looks is always a risk involved in ear surgery. The complications include insufficient correction, reappearance, contour deformation or asymmetric rectification, altogether requiring a secondary surgery. 
In order to avoid post-operative complications or disagreement with regard to corrective ear surgery, the outcomes as well as the expectations must be thoroughly discussed with the plastic surgeon. Another complication of otoplasty involves permanent or transitory lack of sensation in the skin of the ear or face. If the surgery is performed because of a tumor, there is a risk of re-growth of the tumor that requires the call for another surgery or other remedial measures like chemotherapy or radiation therapy.    
A risk commonly involved in torn ear lobe surgery is overgrowth of scar tissue or a keloid formation or non-subsiding scars. The healing after the surgery might be very slow leading to acute complications of lingering pain or discomfort in the area. The cosmetic surgery if not performed by expert hand has a risk of tapering of the external ear canal that can lead to ear complications. Another risk involved in ear surgeries is suture extrusion. The lasting sutures on the ear skin are used to preserve the shape but they may become obvious via the skin, thus ultimately needing a removal.
In order to minimize the risks and complications of ear surgery, you must take necessary precautions as directed by your doctor. Avoid taking aspirin or any medicine containing aspirin. Moreover any other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications must be avoided for a week or so. These medications increase the risk of slow healing.  You should not intake any solids or liquids for about six to eight hours prior to the surgery. Any food or liquids in stomach shoots up the likelihood of an anesthetic complication. Smoking must be given up or reduced a week prior to the ear surgery so as to reduce postoperative complications of coughing and bleeding.

 

Summary:  The otoplasty risks are infection of the cartilage of the ear; bleeding or hematoma formation, insufficient correction, reappearance, contour deformation or permanent or transitory lack of sensation in the skin of the ear.