Ear surgery (otoplasty)

Ear surgery consists in moving prominent ears closer to the head by reforming the cartilage.

The operation is done on children from the age of 5 to 6 years old and also on adults.

The incision is made on the back of the ear to allow the reshaping of the cartilage and to move the ears closer to the head in a natural way.

It is an outpatient operation performed under local anaesthetic and takes an hour-and-a-half for the two ears.

For children a general anaesthetic is recommended.

The scars are on the back of the ear and are hardly visible.

A bandage is attached with a turban around the head, for one week. For the following two weeks, it is recommended to wear a bandage only at night time.

The ears remain sensitive to cold and touching for several months, and may feel insensitive because of the anaesthetic.

All surgery carries a risk of bleeding or infection. In a normal patient these risks are low. If they do appear, a haematoma or an infection must be cured with extra care because cartilage may become permanently deformed.

In some rare cases the scars can become hypertrophic and will need treating with cortisone injections.