Indications: This operation is done to correct protruding ears. It is one of the few cosmetic operations performed on children. Although the operation is done on both men and women, it has great appeal for men, because many of them wear their hair short and cannot conceal the ear deformity.
Method: The method of surgery is to weaken the cartilage of the ear so that it bends into its new shape. At the same time stitches are placed in the cartilage to hold the ear in position until the new shape has formed. The incision is placed in the natural creases behind the ear. The operation is done under either local anesthetic (you are awake) or general anesthetic (you are asleep). You can choose. Most of the time this is an outpatient operation and a stay in the hospital is not needed.
Problems: All operations have some risk. The risks of surgery are divided into two groups. First those that are seen in all operations and second those that are unique or special for this operation. In the first group, the main risks are swelling, bruising, bleeding, infection, a scar and numbness or change in feeling. The main problems which are special for this operation are an abnormal reaction to the stitches and recurrence of the problem.
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It is important to remember that no surgeon can give a guarantee about the final outcome, including appearance, shape, size and so on. You should have a realistic attitude about the outcome, and remember that all surgery has good and bad aspects. That there is no such thing as ‘perfect surgery’.
The satisfaction rate for cosmetic surgery is around 90% and although a satisfactory outcome is anticipated this means that 10% of people do not achieve the result that either the patient or the surgeon would like.
If things do not go well you may need revision or secondary surgery. Although many surgeons do not charge for this, there is often a charge for anesthesia and operating room costs.
Postoperative care: The recovery takes one to two weeks. Most people are back to work within a week or two. It takes many months before the final result is seen.