After Your Otoplasty
Your ears will be bandaged for a few days, but once the bandages are off, you'll see improvement immediately. Though the cartilage of adults' ears is not as pliable as that of children, otoplasty patients of all ages are usually delighted with their more a tt ractive, be tt er proportioned ears.
During the first week after surgery your doctor will probably remove bandages and sutures and instruct you to wear a wide elastic headband throughout the day for one to three weeks and at night for up to six weeks.The headband will help keep your newly sculpted ears in place and allow them to heal in the proper position. You should keep your head above your heart - don't bend over - for about three more weeks.
For as long as your bandages are in place, keep them dry. Ask the doctor for instructions about showering and washing your hair. If you use a hair dryer, keep it on the low se tt ing, and don't use a curling iron, electric rollers, or anything else that might overheat or burn your ears, which might be a bit numb and insensitive to the burning sensation.
For about a month, sleep on your back, not your stomach or your side. Pressure on the ear can interfere with correct healing.
Side Effects
When the bandages first come off, your once-protruding ears may look hypercorrected - too close to the head - though you'll notice improvement right away. As your ears heal, they'll se tt le into their permanent positions.
Though most patients feel fine after otoplasty, the bulky bandages can be uncomfortably hot and the healing process may make your ears itch. Do not give into the urge to scratch them; if the itching persists, you may wish to call your doctor, who may prescribe an oral or topical medication to reduce the itching.
Risks and Complications
Thousands of otoplasty procedures are performed each year, on children and adults alike, with no ill effects. Rare complications can usually be handled with medication or minor surgery. You can almost always reduce the risks yourself by choosing an experienced, reputable surgeon and by faithfully following his or her instructions before and after the operation. Though extremely unlikely, complications can occur.
- Suture bridging. Permanent sutures can be seen through the skin; this is a result of too much skin being removed during the procedure.
- Chondritis. Infection in the cartilage, which can create scar tissue. Infections can typically be managed with antibiotics and rarely need to be drained.
- Unsatisfactory results, including asymmetry, undercorrection, overcorrection, or an unnatural appearance of the ear.
- Loss of correction. Recurrence of the p ro trusion or other defect may occur if the sutures loosen or break, either because the doctor has placed the sutures improperly or the patient hasn't adequately protected the ears after surgery.
Otoplasty for Children
More than half of otoplasty patients are under eighteen years old, and most of these young patients are between four and fourteen. There are two schools of thought about when children should have otoplasty. Some professionals feel strongly that children as young as four, and no older than five or six, should have the procedure before socialization takes root, the teasing becomes too hurtful, and the victims develop psychological scars. Besides, the younger the child, the softer and more pliable the cartilage.According to these physicians and counselors, the parents in consultation with a plastic surgeon should make the decision. No child, however, should be dragged kicking and screaming into surgery.
The other school of thought argues that surgery should wait until children are unhappy about their appearance and want the procedure. Children eight and older can understand and follow their doctors' instructions, before and after surgery, be tt er than younger children.
In any case, surgical correction for children must wait until their ears are nearly finished growing, usually between the ages of four and six.The child should have a positive a tt itude, and the parents' primary concern must be the child's well being and not any embarrassment they might feel about their child's appearance.
Children can usually go back to school after a week of rest and quiet activity. If your child is overly active during that first week, talk to the doctor. Once children are back at school, they should stay off the playground and out of gym class until the doctor permits.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor?
- How long will I need to wear a bandage?
- How soon after surgery can I take a shower or wash my hair?
- What are the most important things I can do to prevent complications?
- Are the results permanent?
[back] |
