Ear correction

Surgery to correct deformed ears is aimed at shaping the affected cartilage structures. First and foremost, for example, in the case of a protruding ear causing the auricle to be too large and at too broad an angle in the antihelix fold. Corrections to these structures are carried out through an incision on the back of the ear. If the auricula is too large, excess cartilage will be removed. If the anti-helical fold is too large, it will be reduced per forming sutures. If more unusual deformations of the cartilage such as kinking occur, the reshaping is done by a combination of sutures and removal of supernatant cartilage. In any case, the procedure is individually adapted and planned.

A well-formed ear shows defined curves, angles and harmonious transitions. The ear should be visible in the front view. The helical fold as an outer edge slightly beyond the anthelix. The upper part of the ear is not bent and the earlobes are level. These features should be achieved through successful ear correction. Quite often and due to lack of experience, often only the middle part of the ear is corrected with the earlobe being ignored. The result is then an unattractive shape that looks like a telephone receiver when viewed from the front.

As part of your first meeting at our Clinic for Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery in Nymphenburg, Munich, you describe your expectations for an ear correction for your child or yourself. We will analyze the anatomy of the ears in detail and establish the structures responsible for the deformation. As a result, we are able to plan and lay out a surgical procedure that is individually tailored to the specific situation. Photographic documentation is also performed.

There is no special preparation necessary on your part before the operation. However, the use of aspirin two weeks prior to surgery should be avoided to minimize the risk of postoperative bleeding. The consumption of alcohol and nicotine should also be kept to a minimum. For a period of four to six weeks after surgery, a headband should be worn at night to protect the ear. We recommend you obtain this before the operation.

As a rule, ear corrections are performed on an outpatient basis under twilight anesthesia. Before the operation, an in-depth discussion is held with our experienced anesthetist. After a last conversation with us as your surgeons and the pre operative marking you will be taken to the operating room and the anesthesia will be administered. The upper body is positioned slightly elevated. The face and the hairline are washed off with disinfectant. The entire area apart from the face and ears is covered with sterile cloths. A sterile foil is then pasted in front of and behind the ears and the area around the ears is injected with a local anesthetic. Due to the twilight sleep, you will be unconscious at this stage. The aforementioned measures for ear correction are performed through an incision at the back of the ear. Stitches are sometimes done with dissolving stitches, so that in some cases no stitch removal is necessary. At the end of the operation, a padded bandage is applied.

On the day following the surgery, you present at our practice again. We will remove the bandage and examine the ears. We often need to clean the dried blood from the area at this stage but this should be painless. If all is well, we will create a thinner bandage. The headband can be placed above this. You will need to visit our office hours regularly in the time following the procedure. After a week, the bandage can be removed and only the headband is worn. This should be done for the first two weeks day and night and for the next four weeks only at night. In the first few days after surgery, it may be nice to sleep with your upper body slightly raised.

Sporting activities, sauna and swimming should be avoided for four weeks. You can gently wash your head after three to four days. Moderate pain is expected during the first days after surgery. This can be managed well with cooling and oral painkillers. The most severe swelling and bruising of the skin recedes within the first two to three weeks.

The result can be admired immediately after the operation. However, a respectable result after a reduction of the most severe swelling can only be assessed after four to six weeks. Persistent residual swelling and sensory changes can take up to half to a year to disappear completely. As dissolving stitches are usually used, stitch removal should only take place as an exception.

Moderate pain, swelling and haematomas of the skin are normal and disappear within a few days. By cooling and lying with an elevated upper body, these can be reduced to a minimum. Rebleeding occurs in very rare cases and would entail a small surgical procedure. Numbness on and around the ear can occur, but also normalizes in the vast majority of cases.

Genetic predisposition can cause scar tissue to grow behind the ear. This may require local treatment with cortisone or even a corrective procedure. Because surgery is performed under sterile conditions and a dose of antibiotics is administered prophylactically, infections that could lead to cartilage scaffold decline are extremely rare. Throbbing pain can be a sign of a bandage being too tight, or an infection. In any case, you should visit your plastic surgeon as soon as possible if you experience this.