Otoplasty is an operation tocorrection of the shape of the auricle or earlobes, which affects the soft cartilaginous tissues of the auricle. The auricle can be deformed for a number of reasons, and most women who have encountered this problem improve their appearance with the help of a plastic surgeon. Those who have had otoplasty know what long-term care is required for the operated ears, but, nevertheless, most women are satisfied with the achieved results, because it is so important for every representative of the fair sex to look attractive in the eyes of others. In what cases may otoplasty be required: ear plastic surgery is necessary in case of congenital underdevelopment or complete absence of the auricle, in case of congenital developmental anomalies leading to an unattractive shape of the ears. Plastic surgery - otoplasty - may also be required in case of traumatic defects and deformations of the auricle, including the complete absence of the auricle as such. According to statistics, people suffering from protruding ears most often undergo ear plastic surgery at a plastic surgeon. Otoplasty is classified into two types: reconstructive and aesthetic. Reconstructive ear plastic surgery allows you to recreate a completely or partially missing auricle, while aesthetic ear plastic surgery is aimed at changing the shape of the auricle. As a rule, reconstructive otoplasty is recommended for children aged six years suffering from protruding ears in order to avoid psychological discomfort and the development of complexes in the future. Psychological support for the patient is of great importance before the operation. Now let's talk about everything in order.
Reconstructive otoplasty
We have already briefly talked about the fact thatreconstructive otoplasty helps to recreate the auricle. It is clear that this is not an easy task. It is enough to remember that not so long ago, the restoration of an ear similar to that created by nature was simply impossible. Today, the creation of an auricle is done in 3-4 stages lasting a year. At the first stage of plastic surgery - otoplasty - a cartilaginous framework of the future ear is created based on costal cartilage. At the second stage, the resulting framework is placed in place of the missing ear in a special subcutaneous pocket. The framework takes root in a new place for 2-6 months, after which it is disconnected from the head, while moving the earlobe to the required position, and the wound in the behind-the-ear area is closed with a skin graft taken directly from the patient. After some time, the doctor forms the tragus and depressions. What results does otoplasty give - the photos clearly demonstrate: the recreated ear has all the main elements of the natural auricle. Of course, this type of plastic surgery does not make it possible to restore the patient’s hearing, but, nevertheless, the person who underwent the surgery develops a completely new internal and external sense of himself and the world around him.
Planning of plastic surgery of the ears
For those who are not afraid of otoplasty andplans it in the future, it is worth remembering that the indication for this type of surgery is protruding ears or other congenital and acquired ear defects. There are several reasons for protruding ears:
The patient may suffer from one of the following:the above reasons, and for all three reasons at the same time. The good news is that one operation is enough to get rid of all kinds of suffering and complexes. Otoplasty of one ear after an injury, or both, has a restorative function. In the case of protruding ears, the goal of the operation is to move the ear to a more aesthetic position, as well as to restore the natural relief of the auricle. However, it is almost impossible to achieve symmetry of both ears at the same time, especially if only one ear was protruding before the operation. The operation plan must be agreed upon with the patient and must take into account his wishes regarding the degree of separation of the auricles from the head and their shape. The best friend and advisor in this matter is a mirror. Otoplasty can be performed at any age, but not earlier than 6 years. It is worth remembering that you should not rush into surgery until you have an internal incentive to correct the shape of your ears, otherwise you will have to face serious psychological problems. The doctor can perform the operation under local anesthesia, and you will not feel pain. If a woman is overly sensitive and emotional, it is better for her to undergo otoplasty under general anesthesia. Otoplasty reviews are positive only if women go to a serious clinic to doctors whose professionalism is beyond doubt and confirmed by numerous good discussions on women's forums or in the guest book in the clinic itself. At the same time, all women note that otoplasty, as well as other surgical operations, are best performed by men.
Methods of otoplasty
At the moment, all known medical methods of otoplasty are divided into "suture" and "seamless" methods of modeling the ear cartilage. The most popular "suture" methods are:
Such a method of otoplasty as "sutureless"modeling is based on the ability of cartilage to bend by its nature in the direction opposite to the notches, due to which the auricle acquires natural outlines. The essence of this operation is as follows: the patient is injected with an anesthetic solution, the doctor makes an S-shaped incision on the back surface of the auricle, after which the skin is excised with additional elliptical incisions. Then the skin is peeled off along the back surface to the middle of the antihelix, and the cartilage is dissected along the entire thickness, after which the skin begins to peel off along the front surface. The photo reflects such nuances of otoplasty with complete clarity. This method gives the surgeon the opportunity to free a large surface of the ear cartilage from the skin. At the next stage, modeling is performed using relaxing notches made on the front surface. After the procedure, the cartilage folds and becomes closer to the head at the desired distance. Any otoplasty after surgery involves the application of sterile gauze napkins impregnated with antibacterial ointment to the ear. An elastic bandage or tennis hair band is put on top of the napkin, which serves as a bandage after otoplasty. The first dressing is done the next day, and the doctor removes the stitches a week later.
Preparatory procedures
Otoplasty is comparable to other plastic surgeries.operations, so the patient is required to undergo a standard examination for his/her safety. The time interval between the examination and the operation should not exceed two weeks. Depending on the type of anesthesia used (local or general), the doctor will determine the scope of examinations. A couple of weeks before otoplasty + one week after the operation, the patient should avoid taking drugs based on acetylsalicylic acid, as well as other drugs that reduce blood clotting. The patient must wash his/her hair with shampoo in the evening before the operation. In case of general anesthesia, it is forbidden to drink and eat 6 hours before the operation. As a rule, each clinic tries to stock up on reliable facts about how otoplasty miraculously transforms patients - before and after photos have become a good tradition. Therefore, the patient is photographed immediately before the operation. If the hair is too long, it must be styled so that during the operation it does not get into the surgical field and does not complicate the operation. In addition, hair can serve as a source of infection. Operations to restore the shape of the auricle, as well as to correct anatomical abnormalities and protruding ears, have contraindications similar to those for other surgical interventions. Otoplasty - contraindications:
- somatic diseases that occur in severe form;
- menstrual bleeding;
- presence of cancer;
- the presence of hepatitis B or C, syphilis or AIDS.
To avoid complications afterotoplasty, before the operation, the following tests are required: a general blood test, a blood test for hepatitis B and C, syphilis and AIDS. In addition, the doctor and the patient discuss the admissibility of taking medications prescribed to the patient by other doctors. Otoplasty does not guard any strict criteria, but it is worth remembering that specialists consider the angle between the auricle and the head to be ideal at 30 degrees, as well as the location of the auricle line strictly parallel to the cheek.
Anesthesia in otoplasty
Pain during surgery, as well as painafter otoplasty, you are forced to use anesthesia during the operation. Based on a set of factors and preliminary examinations, the doctor prescribes either local or general anesthesia to the patient. In almost all cases, otoplasty is performed on an outpatient basis. Anesthesia in this case is similar to the methods of pain relief used in dentistry. Specialists classify laser otoplasty as bloodless. Particularly sensitive individuals are recommended to undergo the operation under general anesthesia (intravenous anesthesia). It should be remembered that the need to choose the method of anesthesia for otoplasty lies with specialists.
Laser Otoplasty
The laser scalpel has a strongantimicrobial action, therefore complications after otoplasty in the form of suppuration are extremely rare in practice. Laser otoplasty allows for a more careful operation, as well as reducing pain during surgery and preventing swelling after otoplasty. In essence, a laser scalpel differs from a conventional one in its higher plasticity, tenderness and precision. The surgeon makes an incision along the back surface of the auricle, after which the ear cartilage is fixed in a new required position. The bloodlessness of the operation is ensured by the fact that when cutting tissues, the laser beam instantly tightens the blood vessels. On average, laser otoplasty lasts 20-30 minutes. There are practically no bruises after the operation. The elastic bandage after otoplasty performed with a laser scalpel is removed after 5-6 days. During this time, the wound should not be wet under any circumstances. Also, for 2-3 weeks after laser otoplasty, physical activity should be limited to a minimum. Although ear plastic surgery is not considered a complicated operation, otoplasty still requires a rehabilitation period. It is necessary to wear a special bandage. If the patient ignores this rule, he gets a number of complications, and unsuccessful otoplasty becomes the cause of a bad mood, and sometimes even accusations against the doctor for negative consequences. If pain occurs after otoplasty, as well as if there is a feeling of discomfort, the use of analgesics (for example, "Ketanov") is indicated. By the way, a laser beam is often used for cosmetic purposes to correct and correct previous ear plastic surgeries.
Risks and complications in the postoperative period
Despite all the precautions before the operation andDuring the operation, otoplasty can still give complications. One of such complications can be a rough keloid scar, the occurrence of which largely depends on the patient's skin type, as well as on other factors. In order to prevent such a negative consequence, the area of the operation is treated with a special solution. As a rule, 3-4 weeks after the operation, the scar disappears, and its size is not so large - 1-2 cm. In addition, otoplasty can also have complications of a different nature, such as an allergic reaction to medications. It should be noted that such a complication is extremely rare in modern practice. If you contact a reputable clinic, you can confidently say that you will receive high-quality otoplasty - the consequences and lifelong guarantees for the result will remain on the shoulders of the clinic's specialists.
Rehabilitation after otoplasty
Rehabilitation after otoplasty isis a series of rules that the patient must strictly follow. If the auricle plastic surgery was not too complicated, the pressure bandage can be removed after three days, but it is recommended to wear it for up to seven days. For up to three weeks, the bandage should be worn at night to avoid accidentally damaging the operated ear during sleep. The bandage is replaced on the first day. Pain during the first three days can be relieved with analgesics. During the first five days, the patient must take the prescribed antibiotics. No matter how wonderful the operation was performed, otoplasty still has a postoperative period and will “please” you with its “charms”: the auricles look cyanotic and have a bluish color for two weeks, the bulk of the swelling and hematoma remains on the ears for about 14-16 days. Swelling after otoplasty completely subsides only after two months. During this time, the sensitivity of the auricles remains reduced. Sensitivity is restored gradually and may be accompanied by a kind of "goosebumps" and unnatural sensations. Over time, these sensations leave the operated patient. Usually, the stitches behind the ear are removed after 10-14 days. Otoplasty surgery, the rehabilitation of which is relatively easy for the patient, involves the absence of physical activity only in the first 3 weeks after the surgery. It is extremely dangerous to injure the operated ear for two months. During this period, you should not expose the skin of the auricles to active exposure to a solarium or sunlight. Specialists always warn patients that the otoplasty performed does not affect hearing. Despite the presence of unpleasant consequences, remember that all the negative aspects associated with rehabilitation after otoplasty pass very quickly. The doctor will always warn that the correction performed does not affect hearing. It is also necessary to remember that, despite slight swelling, all the unpleasant aspects associated with the postoperative period quickly pass. But the desired result will remain with you for life. After otoplasty, the same rehabilitation procedures are used as in other plastic surgeries: hardware cosmetology and physiotherapy, which significantly accelerate tissue healing and swelling. The final assessment of the results of the operation is made after six months.
Repeated otoplasty
There are cases in medical practice,when patients need repeated otoplasty. As a rule, such situations arise due to the fault of the patients themselves, who ignored the rule of wearing a pressure bandage during the rehabilitation period, or did not follow the doctor's recommendations. However, such an operation may also be required for patients who suffered due to the fault of the doctor, or who received asymmetry of the ears after the first operation. Never seek help in those clinics where you are offered to operate only one ear, since in professional otoplasty, both auricles are always corrected. This is the only way to avoid unsuccessful otoplasty and achieve maximum similarity and symmetry. Otherwise, you will definitely need a repeated operation on both auricles. A situation may also arise when repeated otoplasty is necessary due to deformation of the shape of the ears as a result of severe suppuration after the first operation. In order to avoid such problems in advance, a complete examination of the patient's body is required for the presence of infectious diseases, diabetes mellitus, and diseases of the immune system. The incisions for repeated otoplasty are made in place of the old ones, so there is no need to worry about new scars. One of the main conditions for repeated surgery is to observe a 6-month break between two surgical interventions.
Ear lobe plasty
Few women can resistbeautiful earrings, many women prefer to wear noticeable accessories. Only a small proportion of the female population gives their love to small, inconspicuous earrings. Beautiful large earrings at the same time turn out to be very heavy for our beautiful ears, as a result, the once neat little holes increase over time, and the earlobes begin to droop unattractively. In such cases, earlobe plastic surgery can come to the aid of women. Traumatic situations often occur that lead to a rupture of the earlobe, for example, as a result of a strong tug on an earring when it catches on a sweater or other object. As a rule, a woman experiences a real shock at the sight of a torn earlobe, and then is tormented by fears that the resulting scar will remain for life. It is worth noting that these fears are absolutely justified, because a torn earlobe heals over time, but does not grow together at the edges. In this case, earlobe plastic surgery can greatly help a woman and become the only way out of the current situation. Fortunately for women in the modern world, aesthetic problems with appearance are easily solved with the help of plastic surgeons. It is not surprising that ear plastic surgery has very good reviews, because a considerable number of women were able to restore their beauty and attractiveness with its help. It should be noted that earlobe plastic surgery is classified as a simple operation that is performed under local anesthesia and does not require the use of a laser scalpel. Depending on the size and strength of the rupture, the operation lasts an average of 15-30 minutes. Such plastic surgery does not leave scars. The procedure itself does not cause pain or discomfort to the patient, and is also characterized by the absence of complications. After the earlobe plastic surgery, a small patch is fixed, which must be worn for at least 7-10 days. Earlobe recovery lasts 3 months after the surgery, after which the woman can make new punctures and wear her favorite earrings. We tried to reveal to you, dear women, all the secrets and nuances of ear plastic surgery. This operation has preserved the youth and beauty of more than one representative of the fair sex. You can see for yourself how effective ear plastic surgery can be – the photos clearly demonstrate the power of plastic surgery. It remains to wish you health and an easy solution to all your problems. We recommend reading: