Who is the ideal candidate for otoplasty?
This surgery can be a good solution for those men in good physical health who feel that their ears are out of proportion or protrude too far from their head and want to achieve facial harmony.
Although it is carried out in adulthood, it is a highly requested intervention by adolescents and even children from 6 to 14 years of age due to the psychological and social problems that this entails. At this age, the ears have practically reached the size and development they will have in adulthood, and the cartilage is more flexible and moldable. Therefore, in case of suffering anotia or microtia, otoplasty can be performed.
Depending on the degree of deformity, the involvement should be assessed to propose reconstruction in one or two surgical phases, depending on the difficulty, since skin, cartilage and other tissues must be provided to create a new pinna. In particular cases, the surgery can be advanced to 4 years.
Parents are recommended to observe the behavior of their children, their interpersonal relationships or school performance regarding their defect in the ears. Surgery should not be emphasized until the child so desires.
Otoplasty, what is it?
Otoplasty is an outpatient surgery that usually lasts between 1 and 2 hours although in complex cases it can take longer. The plastic surgeon will evaluate the problem and recommend the most effective technique for each case.
Depending on the age of the patient to be treated, the intervention is performed under local anesthesia associated or not with sedation, except in minors who recommend general anesthesia.
Generally, a small incision is made in the back of the ear, so that the scars are never visible. From this incision, the surgeon remodels the cartilage of the ear, making it fold in the appropriate places, reduces the depth of the shell and removes excess skin. Then sculpt the cartilage by carving it through small shallow cuts to take a more natural shape. Internal stitches can be used to maintain this new shape and sometimes remove part of the cartilage. Finally, a wedge of skin is removed from the back of the ear.
Candidates are advised not to smoke or reduce tobacco use before and after the intervention to avoid risks. In addition, there are medications such as aspirin that reduce the blood’s clotting ability and should be removed from your treatment.