Otoplasty - Ear Plastic Surgery

Otoplasty has several types:

• Conchal otoplasty: Corrects the depth of the concha, leaving it more open and natural.
• Shell and antihelix otoplasty: Corrects the shell and creates the antihelix, a cartilage fold that gives the ear its natural appearance.
• Otoplasty for floppy ears: The cartilage is repositioned and fixed with stitches or sutures, bringing the ear closer to the head.
• Otoplasty with cartilage graft: Used to reconstruct or enlarge missing or deformed parts of the ear.

The scar from this surgery is barely visible, as it is located behind the ear, in the groove formed by the ear and the skull. What’s more, as the skin is very thin, the scar itself tends to be imperceptible, even in some techniques that use small incisions on the anterior face.

Certain patients may be prone to unsightly scarring (hypertrophic and keloid scars). This fact should be discussed during the initial consultation, as well as your family characteristics. Fair-skinned people tend to develop this type of scar less often.

Various clinical and surgical resources allow us to improve these unsightly scars at the right time. However, hypertrophic or keloid scars should not be confused with the natural evolution of the mediate healing period. Any doubts about your healing progress should be clarified during your post-operative visits, when we will have the opportunity to assess the stage you are at.

Various clinical and surgical resources allow us to improve these unsightly scars at the right time. However, the “mediate period” of normal healing (from the 30th day to the 12th month) should not be confused with a healing complication. Any doubts about your progress should be clarified with your doctor.

Children: usually under general anesthesia. Adults: usually local anesthesia with or without sedation.

Half a day to a day, depending on the type of anesthesia and the patient’s age.

However, the length of the surgical procedure should not be confused with the length of time the patient stays in the operating room, as this also includes the period of anesthetic preparation and post-operative recovery. Your doctor will be able to tell you the total time.

Every medical act includes a variable risk and plastic surgery, as part of medicine, is no exception. You can minimize the risk by preparing each patient properly, but you can’t eliminate it completely.

Some discomfort may occur in the post-operative period. When this happens, it is treated with common painkillers.

For the first few days, the ear is protected (especially in children) with a kind of cap to prevent local trauma. In some cases, it is recommended to wear ballet or tennis shoes during the first stages. weeks, or even a crepe bandage.

Around the 14th. day.

As soon as the bandage is removed, we will have achieved around 80% of the desired result. After 12 weeks, the result will be definitive.

The result is usually definitive, but as with everything in medicine, no guarantee can be given. In the event of a recurrence, corrective surgery is possible. In these cases, the costs of hospital materials, room fees, anesthetics, medication and other costs will be borne by the patient, even if the surgeon chooses not to set a fee.