Nuremberg clinic for aesthetic plastic surgery Dr. Kunze

Ear Surgery (Otoplasty)

Protruding and drooping ears are often the reason for taunting which already starts in childhood and affects the self-confidence in children and adults. Corrective surgery called otoplasty can be performed at any age after the ears have reached full size, usually at five or six years of age. Ear surgery on adults is also possible. There are many techniques of ear surgery, depending on the problem.

With one of the more common techniques (classical method), the surgeon makes a small incision in the back of the ear to expose the ear cartilage. The cartilage will be sculpted and bent back toward the head. Non-removable but invisible stitches may be used to help maintain the new shape. Another technique involves a similar incision in the back of the ear. Skin is removed and stitches are used to fold the cartilage back on itself to reshape the ear without removing cartilage.

This method will be used only if there is an inherited absence of the natural fold that gives shape to the upper portion of the ear. Also a higher risk of a relapse is associated with this technique. In some cases only parts of the ear are protruding, such as: lop ears, when the tip seems to fold down and forward, large or stretched earlobes or all over large ears. Individual techniques will be used to correct these problems.

After surgery, which can be performed as an outpatient or a short inpatient procedure, the patient’s head will be wrapped in a bulky bandage, which children have to wear for 5-7 days, adults for 2 days. The bulky bandage will then be replaced by a lighter head dressing similar to a headband, especially for nighttime wear to hold the ears in place. Any activity in which the ears might be bent should be avoided for a month or so. The surgery will be performed under local anesthetic combined with a sedative (analogue sedation)