EAR PLASTY

The ears’ congenital anatomical alteration can be:
. the auricles, compared to the head, are too big or too small
. growth of the angle (made by the head and auricle) – this is
called projecting auricle
. disproportion between the parts of the auricle (for ex. too big
or grown down ear-lobe)

Many parents tell me when they come to my office that they have stuck
down their child’s ear for months – maybe they become normal again.
It’s useless to „torment” the baby or little boys and girls, because the
growth of the cartilage and the angle made by the ear is genetically
determined. Probably each of the parents has projecting auricle and
the child inherited it.

Ear plasty in most cases is a very simple operation. We do it in local
anaesthesia, ambulant. There is no need to be in-patient. The
operation takes 15 minutes by ear then the patients gets a bandage
and can go home. The bandage, protecting the ears, must be worn for
about 12 days then suture-taking.
After suture-taking (which is absolutely painless, no reason to be
afraid) there is no need for any bandage during the day. Still I ask to
protect the ears at night for 2 weeks more with a loose scarf or for
babies with a hat – if it turns during the night not to crumple its ears.

Operation can be made from age 5-6 if the child is psychically mature,
wants the intervention and can bear the first anaesthetic injection that
is like a mosquito bite. The intervention is painless for both child and
adult – we garantee it.
I always discuss with my little patients what is going to happen in
order not to be afraid. I tell them and I show on photos what relates to
them, so it’s like they have a pictrue-book.

Before the operation all civil dresses should be taken off, because to
enter the operation hall in daily dress is prohibited. Patients get a
green cloak, children get a shirt to enter. Please, 1-2 days before the
intervention learn some fables to tell us during the operation. Elder
children are asked about school, excursions, vacation, and finishing the
stories the operation just ended. Every operation-room nurse has more
than 10 years of professional experience and they speak children’s
language. This makes my job much easier and children are not afraid in
an unknown surrounding, among unknown people.

Of course, I do not operate only projecting auricles. Ear-lobes could be
too big which need lessening or grown down that should be set free.
Accident or very heavy earrings can cause tear in weak ear-lobe, this
must be corrected. Maybe auricles have different dermatological
alterations, benign amd malignant tumors that should be taken out,
even with taking care of the symmetry between the 2 ears and
considering the rules of oncology.