Prominent Ear Surgery

Prominent ear is defined as the distance of the ear cartilage to the head being disproportionately large, followed by a partial half-moon shape of the ear cartilage by inclining forward. The effective solution to this situation, which is defined as the auricle being misshapen, larger than the head, small or far from the head, is prominent ear surgery.

What is prominent ear surgery?

Otoplasty is the term used to describe the surgical correction of prominent ears. Prominent ear surgery is an operation that intervenes in the cartilage structure of the girdle, reshaping the auricle and bringing it closer to the head, thus providing an aesthetic appearance in harmony with the head. Prominent ear surgery, which can be performed under general anesthesia, local anesthesia or sedation, is a very comfortable and reliable operation, but it is an operation that is completed in about 1 hour.

Why is prominent ear surgery needed?

Prominent ear surgery, unlike many aesthetic operations, is an operation with a low age limit. Since the development of the ear is completed at the age of 5, it is not expected to reach the age of 18 in this operation, as in other aesthetic surgeries. Prominent ear surgery can be performed on every patient from the age of 5 onwards. Prominent ear operation is an operation that has advantages not only physically but also psychologically. Especially in school-age children, low self-confidence is observed in many activities such as socializing with their peers due to the prominent ear problem, and moreover, children are unfortunately exposed to peer bullying due to the appearance of their ears.

With prominent ear surgery, which provides both psychological and physiological well-being, the angles of the ear can be corrected and a reduction in the size of the ear can be achieved by bringing it closer to the head.

What is the right time for prominent ear surgery?

Prominent ear surgery is a safe and comfortable operation. In the operation, which has a short recovery period after the operation, which takes a short time, the ears are bandaged after the operation and the bandage is removed after an average of 1 week. After removing the bandages, a band resembling an athlete’s band should be worn for a while in order for the final shape of the ears to settle. For this reason, prominent ear surgery can be performed in summer and winter, but it is often preferred in winter months due to the necessity of wearing a band. In children, especially the semester break is considered ideal for this surgery.

Prominent Ear Surgery (Otoplasty)

Prominent ear surgery; It can be done under general or local anaesthesia. Although local anesthesia is often preferred because it is a narrow and comfortable operation, general anesthesia is used for younger patients to feel more comfortable. In the operation, which lasts for 1 hour, an incision is made on the back of the ear after the ear area is anesthetized. The cartilage tissue is shaped and the ear is positioned correctly using suture material. After the procedure is completed, the incision is closed with the suture technique known as aesthetic suture or hidden suture at the end of the prominent ear surgery. Since these sutures dissolve on the skin on their own, there is no need for stitches to be removed. Although there is a risk of recurrence after the prominent ear appearance is corrected, it is extremely low. There may be an opening of only 2 mm to 3 mm. This condition can be seen in only 1% of patients who have surgery.

Prominent ear surgery recovery process

Very mild pain or ache may occur after the operation. However, these pains can be controlled with painkillers. Pain medication and antibiotics may be required after the surgery. Women can return to their daily lives immediately after the surgery, as they can use hair bands and hide the bandages. Men, on the other hand, can return to their lives after a week to 10 days if they are uncomfortable with the appearance of the bandages. Slight edema and redness in the ears are also normal. The redness disappears within 3 – 4 days, and the edema disappears within a week.