Prominent ear surgery (otoplasty)

Pokanga matua ki te taringa

Otoplasty, also called prominent ear correction, is a cosmetic operation to correct ears that stick out. It can help when someone is self-conscious about the shape or size of their ears, has been teased about their ears or has ears of different shapes. The aim of the surgery is to help the person feel more comfortable with how their ears look.

Tamariki (children) and adults can have surgery for prominent ears, but tamariki need to wait until they are about 5 years old.

If a pēpi (baby) is born with prominent or folded ears, their ears can be reshaped with splinting. It needs to happen in the first four weeks, as after this age the cartilage does not respond to splinting.

Not all tamariki with prominent ears need corrective surgery. If a tamaiti (child) is not concerned about their ears, or has a confident personality, they will not usually need surgery. They can also hide prominent ears behind a longer hairstyle.

Adults do not often have surgery for prominent ears in the public health system. This surgery is done by a plastic surgeon or an ORL surgeon, also called an otolaryngologist (ot-o-lar-in-gol-o-gist). An otolaryngologist was previously called an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist.

You may choose to pay to see a private plastic surgeon or a private otolaryngologist.

How the operation is done

For tamariki, the surgery is done under a general anaesthetic (they are asleep). Adults who have this operation tend to have a local anaesthetic, which numbs the area being operated on. Tamariki and adults can both go home on the day of the surgery.

The surgery involves making a cut on the back of the ear, which exposes the cartilage under the skin. The cartilage can then be reshaped using cuts and stitches to hold the ear in the desired shape. The surgeon then closes the cut with stitches and covers the ears and scalp with a bandage.

Occasionally, problems develop after the surgery. These can include bleeding, wound infection, poor scarring or an ear shape that is not any better or that gets worse. More surgery might be the only way to fix these problems. But problems are rare. Most operations go to plan and give pleasing results that last.

After surgery

It is normal to be a bit uncomfortable after surgery, but pain relief medicines can control this. The bandage will be taken off at the first follow-up appointment, usually about a week after surgery. Until then, your tamaiti (or you, if you have had the operation) needs to avoid doing anything that takes a lot of physical effort. Your tamaiti should stay away from school during this week.

When the bandage comes off, the ears will still be a little bruised, swollen and tender. It is best to avoid contact sports for the first month after surgery. There will always be scars on the back of the ear, but they usually heal well and are well hidden from view.

If you or your tamaiti are unwell in the week after surgery, contact your general practice team immediately. For example, if the pain is getting worse, fever or chills develop, there is bleeding through the bandage, or the bandage falls off.

Written by a Canterbury plastic surgeon. Adapted by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed November 2024.

Sources

See also:

Overview of surgery

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