Otoplasty in India
Otoplasty is a procedure used in cosmetic surgery to alter a person’s external ears.
Otoplasty variations:
There are various types of otoplasty,
- straightening different bends in the cartilage, shrinking excessively large ears, or bringing the ears closer to the skull (a procedure known as ear pinning).
- The distorted or missing (microtic) ears are addressed by other reconstructive techniques.
- The external ear, or pinna, is composed of a thin structural cartilage that is covered in a thin layer of skin. The pinna has named folds and structures for each one. Distorted, damaged, or absent ear components cause ear deformity. Many otoplasties are done because the patient dislikes the way their ears look rather than because they actually have a defect.
Procedure
An ENT surgeon, plastic surgeon, or oral and maxillofacial surgeon typically performs otoplasty surgery.
The process can take up to two to three hours and can be done under local or general anesthesia. After making a small incision behind the ear, the surgeon will remove any extra skin and cartilage before closing the wound with sutures. Another technique entails making a little incision behind the ear, removing a small amount of skin, and then using stitches to ‘pin’ or bend the cartilage back towards the skull without actually removing the cartilage. The wound is then stitched up.
Recuperation time
After the procedure, the bandages and sutures will be removed, and it is advised to take up to a week off from work or school. Painkillers can be used to ease any stiffness or tenderness, and swelling will subside over the course of one to several weeks.
Risks
Although there are very few risks associated with ear pinning surgery, they can nonetheless occur. Possible dangers include the development of blood clots, asymmetrical or cauliflower ears, bleeding beneath the skin, and infection (which may leave scar tissue). Very rarely, the ear or ears may revert to their original position, necessitating another ear pinning procedure.
