Ear Correction, or Otoplasty, is a surgical procedure to reshape or to reduce the size of large ears, or to “pin back” prominent ears closer to the head.

In children with severely prominent ears, the procedure is done early in life between the ages of 2 to 5 years. Timing is always an important consideration. Having the procedure at a young age is highly desirable. The two main reasons being: the cartilage is extremely pliable, thereby permitting greater ease of shaping; and secondly, the child will have to endure teasing and self consciousness. Ears are almost fully grown by age four and, for the most part, the operation is done on children between the ages of 4 and 14.

Adults may also benefit from Ear Correction Surgery. There are generally no additional risks associated with otoplasty on an older patient; however, the firmer cartilage of fully developed ears does not provide the same moulding capacity as in children.

During surgery, a small incision is made just behind the ear to expose the ear cartilage. This is located in the natural fold where the ear is joined to the head. The Surgeon will then remove the necessary amounts of cartilage and skin required to achieve the right effect. In some cases, the Surgeon will trim the cartilage to resize the ear, shaping it into a more desirable form and then pin the cartilage back and secure it with permanent sutures.

In most cases, ear surgery will leave a faint scar in the crease of the ear that will be generally inconspicuous and will fade with time.

Ear Correction Surgery is usually performed in our Day Surgery Centre under twilight sedation and can take from two to three hours, depending on the problem and the technique used.

To schedule an initial consultation at St James Clinic, please call 01983 822220 or click here to email us. We will be delighted to assist you.

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