Ear surgery (Otoplasty)

Procedure: Set prominent ears back closer to the head, or reduce the size of large ears. Most often done on children between the ages of 4 and 14 years. (Occasionally covered by insurance.)

Length: 2 to 3 hours.

Anesthesia: Young children: usually general. Older children or adults: general or local, with sedation.

In/outpatient: Usually outpatient.

Side effects: Temporary throbbing, aching, swelling, redness, numbness.

Risks: Infection of cartilage. Excessive scarring. Blood clot that may need to be drained. Mismatched or artificial-looking ears. Recurrence of the protrusion, requiring repeat surgery.

Recovery: Back to work or school: five to seven days. Strenuous activity, contact sports: one to two months.

Duration of Results: Usually permanent.

Preoperative appearance		Intraoperative appearance
Postoperative appearance

Actual patient photographs available at time of consult.

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