Otoplasty (Ear) Surgery

Ear surgery or Otoplasty is generally performed to put back the prominent ears on the face closer to the head or to decrease the size of large ears. Mostly this surgery is done on children with of 6 – 14 years of age as the ears reach their full size by six years of age, though even the adults can go for this kind of surgery, though even the adults can go for this kind of surgery. The earlier the decision of otoplasty is taken, the lesser mockery and ridicule the child will have to bear. Even the adults may also take advantage from ear surgery as it improves confidence. Generally in adults, the ear surgery is done in combination with other facial plastic surgical events. With otoplasty, it is also possible to pin back ears and the ears can be restructured, condensed in size and can be made more symmetrical.
So once the plastic surgeon and the patient finalizes on otoplasty. A deep medical examination and medical history is studied. Your plastic surgeon then gives the details of the type of anesthesia needed, surgical facility required and the total costs incurred. Usually, a general anesthesia for children and a local anesthetic along with a mild sedative is recommended for older children and adults. The time duration of the otoplasty is approximately two hours.
The ear surgery procedure begins with an incision at the back of the ear, in the natural fold where the ear is joined to the head. The surgeon will then do away with the essential quantity of cartilage and skin needed to attain the right outcome. Depending upon the kind of ear surgery needed, the surgeon will cut back the cartilage and shape the ear into a more pleasing form and after that he’ll pin the cartilage with stable sutures to protect the cartilage. It is seen that in some cases of plastic ear surgery the surgeon does not get rid of any cartilage but uses stitches to bind the cartilage permanently in its position. After molding the cartilage to the preferred shape, the surgeon will use sutures to affix the ear; the sutures are removed after healing occurs to hold back the ear in the wanted shape.
Reconstructive ear surgery is performed on abnormal ear structures that are resultant of congenital imperfection, developmental irregularity, illness, cancer or poor health.
It is usually carried out to improve a normal appearance. Reconstructive ear surgery is usually enclosed by most health insurance policies but the degree of coverage varies depending upon particular procedures.
In addition to protruding ears, several other ear problems can also be cured with ear surgery. These problems comprise of lop ear in which the tip folds down and forward; the cupped ear in which the size of ear is very small; the shell ear in which the curve in the outer rim of the ear and the natural folds and creases are generally missing. The otoplasty also improves extended earlobes or the earlobes, which look odd due to large creases and wrinkles. Some other cases of ear surgery procedure involve creating artificial ears for people who have lost ears or are born without them. The risks and the complications of ear surgery are minimal. The results of ear surgery are excellent in young and old patients.
Ear cropping started centuries ago as a preventive measure against wounds and infections in the pets when there were no antibiotics for infections and no veterinary surgeons were available. The ears were easy targets in fights of the hunting dogs so ear cropping was a common practice of that time. The ears cropping surgery was performed in the early days of puppy so as to avoid any ear problems. But now it has become a fashion and is done for purely cosmetic reasons.

Summary: Ear surgery or Otoplasty is generally performed to put back the prominent ears on the face nearer to the head or reduce the size of large ears. The ear surgery procedure starts with an incision at the back of the ear, in the natural fold where the ear is joined to the head.