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Otoplasty Procedure | Ear Surgery Calgary

Otoplasty | ear lobe surgery

Ear Surgery
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Otoplasty | ear lobe surgery

Ear Surgery
An ideal way to improve the shape, position or proportion of the ear. Ear surgery may be a good fit for you, whether you suffer from physical or emotional distress related to having larger ears, or simply wanting your ears to feel more comfortable in hats, helmets or toques.
Interested in this procedure?
contact us
what to know
-
Down time
no down time, no heavy lifting for 4 weeks
results
pinned back (less prominent) appearance of ear
anesthesia
local anesthetic
Starting cost
$7,800+GST
alternative treatments
treatments in harmony
conditions treated
protruding or large ears
- what to know
Down time
no down time, no heavy lifting for 4 weeks
results
pinned back (less prominent) appearance of ear
anesthesia
local anesthetic
starting cost
$7,800+GST
alternative treatments
treatments in harmony
conditions treated
protruding or large ears
more details

Ear surgery can be done in adults and younger individuals. 

Ear surgery is a common procedure among children and teenagers due to a heightened awareness of their appearance. Children and teenagers who are a good candidate for surgery need to be able to follow instruction and cooperate with their surgeon. They should be able to voice their feelings and opinions, and have realistic expectations of surgery.  

The decision to have plastic surgery is extremely personal, and you’ll have to decide if the benefits of the surgery outweigh the risks and potential complications of surgery.

You will be asked to sign consent forms to ensure that you fully understand the procedure and any risks. It is important that you address all your questions directly with your surgeon.

procedure

Ear surgery is normally done under local anesthetic. You will have an incision on the backside of both ears, where the ear meets the scalp. Typically, dissolvable stitches will be used on the surgical incision. But depending on the case, your surgeon may have needed to use non-dissolvable sutures.

recovery

Following local anesthesia, it may take 4-5 hours for the numbing effects to wear off – similar to something you would have done at the dentist. You can even eat and drink like normal before your procedure. We just ask that you not consume alcohol 24 hour prior to surgery. You must be accompanied by a responsible adult on your way home, who may either drive you home or take a taxi with you. You may feel pain slowly increase as the numbing wears off. Please ensure you have some acetaminophen or ibuprofen at home to use for any discomfort.

You will leave all surgical dressings on until your first appointment at the office. The dressings will be taken off in 5-7 days. After your dressings have been removed, you will be able to shower as normal, you are able to use soap and water on the incisions. Please do not bathe or soak your incisions until all incisions have completely healed. Swelling and bruising is common following surgery and is to be expected. The swelling and bruising should subside within 2-4 weeks after surgery. You will be provided with a silicone ointment after your surgical incision has healed to improve the appearance of the scar.

It is essential to continue wearing the provided compression garment for 3 months to ensure the ear heals in the desired position. It must be worn full time for the first month, and then as much as possible for the next two months. Additional garments are available for purchase through the clinic. An appropriate headband can be acceptable for us if cleared by your surgeon.

Patients are able to get up and walk around right after surgery. Most patients are back to normal daily activities the next day. However, there should be no heavy lifting for 4 weeks following surgery to ensure there is no separation of the surgical incisions. Most patients who have sedentary jobs take one week off work while the surgical dressings are still on. If your job involves a lot of physical activity be sure to speak with your surgeon during your consultation with regards to how much time off you will need for your specific daily tasks. Most patients are comfortable driving the next day. However, it is not uncommon for a spot along your surgical incisions to open up during the postoperative stages due to increased tension on the incisions with movement or poor healing. This is not a serious complication, and can be remedied with daily dressings, but it does mean a delay in your expected recovery time.

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to give us a call at (403) 800-9157 and leave a message as necessary. If you are unable to reach us, and need medical advice please call 811 to speak to a nurse, the line is free of charge and available 24 hours a day. If it is a medical emergency please call 911 or go to your nearest hospital, or call the. Peter Lougheed Centre Switchboard at (403) 943-4555 and ask to speak to the plastic surgeon on-call.

things to consider

Ears will continue to grow as we age. It is not uncommon for recurrence of protruding ears or asymmetry of ears. It is important to work with your surgeon to reduce the risk of recurrence and have realistic expectations.

A good candidate for surgery is a patient who is relatively healthy. It is also strongly advised that you be a non-smoker at the time of surgery. If you are a smoker we recommend you quit smoking at least 3 months prior to surgery as nicotine can interfere with blood supply and potentially cause complications with healing after surgery.

Quick considerations
01
sound body
health and weight play a large part in recovery so it's best if both are stable
A good candidate is someone who is relatively healthy and at a stable weight.
02
reality check
every body is one-of-a-kind and your results will be unique to you
The patient must have realistic expectations for post-procedure outcomes. Surgical candidacy will be determined at the consultation to better determine realistic outcomes.
03
no smoking here
we strongly advised that you are a non-smoker at the time of surgery
If you are a smoker we recommend you quit smoking at least three months prior to surgery to avoid post-operative complications.