This operation is quite common and easy to carry out.It can be performed on children from 8 years old when the ear has grown to a sufficient size.
I usually perform this operation under general anesthetic. The patient spends the first night at the clinic because the  operation can be quite painful especially for children but the pain is relieved by taking painkillers but resurges the following day after the first dressing. The stitches are taken out and the bandage taken off after 8 days. The patient should sleep with a headband for a month. The results are generally excellent.
Although this is an aesthetic operation it is reimbursed by social security and by insurance companies that provide additional insurance;

Some results

Medical information before carrying out a Otoplastie.

Otoplastie is surgery to correct ear deformities. (protruding ears).

In order to be clearly informed about how the operation is carried out we ask you to read the following information. Your surgeon is available to answer all your questions.

Do not forget to tell your surgeon about any treatment you take regularly such as aspirin, anticoagulants. .  Remember to tell him if you have had allergic reactions to medicine. Finally when you are hospitalized, remember to bring all medical documents in your possession such as blood tests and X-rays.

Objective of the operation

This surgical procedure, for aeshetic purposes, is carried out to reshape the pinna.

The actual operation.

To make it easier to tolerate the operation, especially for children, general anesthesia is often proposed and scheduled.The anesthetist, who you see before the operation, will answer all your questions concerning his speciality.
Local anesthesia can be given either alone or in addition to general anesthesia using xylocaine.The intervention involves an incision of the skin behind the ear allowing work on the cartilaginous structures of the pinna The skin is stitched up and a pressure dressing applied.
Hospital stay and postoperative care will be decided by the surgeon.

Immediate risks
The main risk is that of post-operative bleeding due to a hematoma. The occurrence of a hematoma involves evacuating it so a new operation and and a fresh pressure dressing to be kept over a longer period will be necessary.

Secondary risks
Postoperative infection which is rarer can occur and the signs are pains in the ear and an inflamed pinna.This infection requires appropriate antibiotic treatment to prevent cartilage infection. The morphological results are normally satisfactory but in some cases there are irregularities in the plication area;It is also difficult to ensure perfect symmetry of the pinnas of each ear.
The area around the scar may also be sensitive which makes the wearing of glasses uncomfortable.
The pinna will be sensitive for several weeks.

Serious or exceptional complications
Any medical examination, exploration or intervention on the human body can, even when carried out by competent surgeons and in line with the safety regulations and scientific data in force contains a risk.

Hematoma favours infectious complications and in particular chondrites (infection of the cartilage of the pinna) and this can lead to necrosis which totally destroys the cartilage of the ear leaving a smaller ear which is often distorted.

In very rare unpredictable cases; the postauricular scar may thicken and become an unsightly keolid scar.