What is pinnaplasty (or otoplasty)?
These are different names for the same operation, which is to correct misshapen ears. There are many different ear shapes that people may not like, but usually the reason an ear is misshapen is the absence of a fold in the ear cartilage (the antihelix), or an over-pronounced ‘bowl’ of the ear around the ear canal opening.
Why have the operation?
The aim of the operation is to make the ears look more natural, and often this will mean making them protrude less.
You may consider this surgery in children if they are teased at school, and to allow them to be less self-conscious. The ideal age is around 5 to 6, when the cartilage of the ear is mature enough but before the child is subjected to prolonged, psychologically hurtful teasing.
Adults who don’t like the shape of their ears also come to see us about this procedure, often having wanted it done since they were children. This is particularly the case in men with short hair, or women who wish to wear their hair up, when the ears are not obscured.
The operation is mostly done for both ears, but sometimes patients have it done on one ear only, if there is a big discrepancy between the shape of the two ears. We are careful not to over-correct the deformity; the ideal result is that the casual observer is not aware that any surgery to the ears has taken place.
How is the operation done?
The operation is carried out under general anaesthetic, usually as a day case (you can go home the same day). The cartilage is exposed via an incision in the skin behind the ear, and as part of this incision a small amount of skin is removed from the area. The cartilage of the ear is then shaped to recreate the fold required, and stitches are inserted to hold the ear in the desired position long term.
What happens after the operation?
The ears are packed with small pieces of cotton wool soaked in antiseptic, and a head bandage is placed around the head (like a turban) before you are woken from the anaesthetic. The head bandage stays on for 3 to 4 days, before we painlessly remove it in outpatients. The skin stitches are usually dissolvable and don’t need to be removed. We would then advise you or your child to wear a headband or Tubigrip (a make-up band is a good option) for two weeks, 24 hours a day, and then just at night for the two weeks after that.
When can I wash my hair or swim?
You can wash your hair after two weeks, when the incision behind the ear is satisfactorily healed. Having a bath or shower before this is fine, as long as the ear is kept dry — a shower cap is useful. You should wait 4 to 6 weeks before swimming, however, to prevent infection before the ear is well healed.
When can I go back to work or school?
In general, you will need two weeks off work or school following pinnaplasty.
What can go wrong with the operation?
Problems with this operation are extremely rare. Like all surgery, there is a very small risk of infection, which in this case is usually associated with a collection of blood (haematoma) under the skin of the ear. Pinnaplasty is normally not a painful procedure, and any discomfort should quickly improve; therefore, if the discomfort levels rise significantly over the first few days, a haematoma is a possibility, and you should contact us to arrange to be seen without delay.
Like all cosmetic procedures, there is a small risk that the shape of the ear is not entirely satisfactory afterwards, and that a second (revision) operation is required. Such revisions are, however, uncommon.