Otoplasty surgery involves the reshaping and resizing of the ears. It is recommended for people who have disproportionately prominent ears. In most cases, the surgery can be performed at the adolescent age itself. This is because the ears attain their full growth very early, and thereafter it is better to get the surgery done to improve the patient’s facial profile. Boys and girls can get teased at school or outside by their peer group if they carry on without corrective surgery.
Otoplasty surgery is fairly simple and it involves stitching back a portion of the ears to make them appear less prominent. The actual duration of the surgery ranges between 30 to 60 minutes for each ear, which means a total of about an hour and a half to do both ears.
However, more than the actual surgery time, the real time-consuming tasks include a thorough examination and evaluation of the patient’s condition. It is most important to determine the proper shape of the ear.
If maximum time is invested in evaluation, assessment and preparation prior to the surgery, the actual surgery time will be reduced. The surgery goes smoothly in such a case and the most desirable results can be expected. The time involved in surgery also depends on the skills and experience of the operating surgeon. A new or inexperienced surgeon is likely to proceed very slowly with the procedure. But a surgeon who has performed a number of otoplasty procedures is likely to accomplish the procedure in much less time and more conservatively.
Patients can enjoy the best results if they have a prior understanding of the surgical procedure and have realistic expectations. The surgeon should spend sufficient time explaining the procedure and the expected results so that the patient’s best cooperation is achieved.
