|
|
|
Ear Surgery The Surgical Procedure Otoplasty typically is performed to create or restore the center fold to disproportionately large or prominent ears. (Fig. 1) The extent of the procedure depends on what changes are desired and what your surgeon deems appropriate. On your surgeon's recommendation, you mat be operated on in the surgeon's office, in an outpatient surgical facility or you may be admitted to the hospital.
Otoplasty may performed under local anesthesia which numbs the area around the ears, or under general anesthesia which will make you sleep through the entire operation. There are several possible surgical approaches to otoplasty. Using a commonly employed technique, the surgeon makes incisions in the back of the ear and removes skin to expose ear cartilage. (Fig. 2a) Then, the surgeon uses sutures to fold the cartilage in on itself to reshape the ear. (Fig 2b) In some instances, the same result can be achieved without sutures by weakening the cartilage before folding it. The incisions are closed with sutures. (Fig. 2c)
By creating a more pronounced fold in the central portion of the ear, the surgeon brings the ear closer to the head. (Fig. 3) Depending on the extent of the surgery, the procedure usually lasts about two hours.
|
