Expertise in Ear Surgery & Ear Pinning (Otoplasty)
Otoplasty is a surgical procedure to change the appearance of or reshape the ears. It can help those who feel that their ears are misshapen, too large or stick out too far from their scalp. About 5 to 10 percent of the population has some structural irregularities of the outer ear structure, which can affect people’s self-confidence, including even young school-aged children.
Make an Appointment
To schedule a consultation with a UH facial plastic surgeon, call 440-446-8600.
Schedule OnlinePatient History and Examination
Before scheduling otoplasty procedures, our surgeons conduct a thorough evaluation and examination of the patient. Potential otoplasty patients (or their parents, in the case of a child) will be asked questions about their overall health, their goals for surgery and psychological impact of their ear shape and size.
The doctor will look at the ears to determine exactly how they differ from “normal” ears and feel the ears to check the strength of the cartilage. Photographs are taken for surgical planning and to be able to compare the “before” and “after” appearance of the ears.
Ideal Candidates for Otoplasty
Ear reshaping surgery can be performed at any age after the ears have reached full size. Frequently, the procedure is done before the child enters first grade (over age 5). At this point, the ear is large enough to perform the surgery, but the child has not had exposure to children who may make fun of the child’s unusual ears. Children are ideal candidates for the procedures because their cartilage is softer and easier to reshape. However, otoplasty can also be successfully performed on teenagers and adults.
Types of Ear Surgery
- Ear Reshaping/Resizing
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The cartilage defines the shape of the ear so changing the shape of the cartilage in the ear will change its shape. The general principle of otoplasty is that the skin is lifted off of the cartilage, the cartilage is reshaped and/or repositioned to reduce the size of the ears and then the skin is replaced.
- Ear Pinning Surgery
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Ear pinning surgery is a type of otoplasty that aims to set prominent ears closer to the head.
- Earlobe Reshaping (Lobuloplasty)
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Another ear reshaping procedure is lobuloplasty which addresses abnormalities of the earlobe, including elongated or enlarged earlobes that have developed due to age, the wearing of heavy earrings or defects from prior trauma or earlobe gauges. Lobuloplasty is typically done with local anesthesia and results in minimal downtime.
Performing Otoplasty
Otoplasty is almost always done on an outpatient basis unless a patient has other medical problems. Children have the surgery under general anesthesia, whereas adults may have the procedure under local anesthetic, local anesthetic with sedation or general anesthesia. The incisions are typically hidden behind the ear and heal very well. For some patients, reshaping can be performed with a technique known as incisional septoplasty in which sutures are employed to reshape the ear without any visible incisions.
Patients wear a bandage for the first few days after the surgery which is then replaced by a soft headband for the remainder of the week. Patients can expect to have some soreness at the surgical area and the downtime from this procedure is approximately 1 week. Strenuous activities should be avoided for three weeks after the surgery and patients will be advised to avoid consumption of aspirin and NSAIDS for three weeks before and a week after surgery.
Make an Appointment
Schedule a consultation with a UH facial plastic surgeon.