Otoplasty

Otoplasty or plastics of auricles – operation on correction of a shape of ears. There are different forms of deformation of ears concerning which patients quite often ask for the help the plastic surgeon. The main problem – total absence of an auricle or its inborn underdevelopment, and also various inborn defects of development of an auricle leading to esthetically ugly shape of ears. Often patients decide to make an otoplasty after traumatic defects of an auricle, and also at an excessive otstoyaniye of an auricle from the head (lopoukhost).

Indications to an otoplasty

Most often patients with a lopoukhost decide on an otoplasty, according to reviews. Are the reasons of a lopoukhost:

• Excessive depth of a bowl of the auricle conducting in outside acoustical pass.
• Inborn maldevelopment or underdevelopment of an antihelix of an auricle. At the same time the auricle looks flat and will strongly be spaced from the head.
• Lobes of ears can also be from the head at a great distance.

At the patient existence only of one of above-mentioned problems is possible, and also presence of all three at the same time is possible. The otoplasty, according to reviews, helps to correct all these defects by means of one operation.

The purpose of an otoplasty consists in movement of an ear closer to the head, giving it more esthetic position, and in recovery of a natural relief of an auricle. Unfortunately, it is impossible to give to both ears full symmetry. And it is even more difficult to achieve symmetry if at the patient only one ear is bulged. Therefore even at a lopoukhost of one ear of operation both are exposed, as a rule.

The plan of operation is surely coordinated with the patient, all his wishes concerning a shape of ears after an otoplasty and degree of their otstoyaniye from the head are considered. Operation can be done at any age, even in school. But, as a rule, parents of small children should not hurry with operation until the child wants to correct a shape of ears. In this case operation will not cause in the little patient of psychological problems. It is possible to make an otoplasty by means of local anesthesia, without emergence of pain. It is reasonable to children and some emotionally labile patients to make an otoplasty under the general anesthesia to avoid excessive emotional pressure.

Preparation for carrying out an otoplasty

Before performing operation, the patient needs to undergo standard medical examination no more than in two weeks prior to operation. The volume of inspection depends on what anesthesia will be used (the general or local).

In two weeks prior to carrying out operation and week later it is desirable to exclude reception of any means lowering coagulability of blood. In the evening just before operation the patient has to wash up the head shampoo. If for carrying out operation the general anesthesia is used, then in six hours prior to operation it is impossible to drink and eat. Before operation of the patient photograph. It becomes in order that the patient could compare the ears after an otoplasty and to it.

Operation course

Behind an auricle the section on an auricle is made, receding from a zaushny fold a little. Extent of a section depends on the method of operation and volume of changes chosen by the surgeon. After that the ear cartilage is processed for the purpose of change of its form. Auricle depth decreases, the antihelix forms, pressing of a lobe is made. All these manipulations can be executed at the same time or separately – it depends on the lopoukhost reasons. When carrying out an otoplasty use the following surgical receptions: removal or excision of fragments of a cartilage, a notch on a cartilage, suture on a cartilage. Upon termination of change of a shape of ears the doctor makes comparison of auricles and, in case of need, makes additional correction for the purpose of achievement of symmetry.

At the end of operation the zaushny section is sewn up with not resolving seam, and the bandage after an otoplasty is applied ears.

Postoperative period

The bandage after an otoplasty is removed only after three days. For the first days after an otoplasty the bandage changes. The first few days after operation the patient can feel strong pain which is removed by means of analgetics (ketones). The first five days after operation to the patient appoint antibiotics. Ears after an otoplasty look swelled up and cyanotic for about two weeks. After this time of a hematoma pass, the main hypostasis falls down approximately in two months. For two months after an otoplasty a hyposensitivity of auricles is observed. Up to three weeks after operation it is recommended to put on for the night a bandage ears during sleep accidentally not to damage them. Seams behind ears usually are removed for 10-14 days.

For three weeks after carrying out operation excessive physical activity is not recommended. For two months after operation it is not recommended to subject ears to influence of ultraviolet radiation. The final result of an otoplasty can be observed approximately in half a year.