Plastic surgery abroad - Estonia

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Ear correction surgery

Why have ear correction surgery

Auricles are corrected for different reasons:

• to bring prominent ears closer to the head,
• to reduce very big ears,
• to reshape unnatural or defective folds and curves of the ear cartilage,
• to correct and reconstruct ears that are either deformed or lost for example because of an injury.

Thus the position of the ear could be changed, the ear might be reshaped, something might be taken away and something added during ear surgery. Auricle surgery can help men, women and children of all ages, who are not satisfied with the excessive prominence or irregular shape of their ears.

Children often suffer from how their ears look and are made fun of by other children. Since ears are more or less fully developed by the age of four, parents could consider ear surgery for their child at an early age, in order to spare their children from the future sufferings and stress because of their conspicuous or disturbing ears. At the same time you should also take your child's wishes into account, whether he or she wants a change. The surgeon can help to sculpt and create more natural looking, symmetrical ears and auricles that are in a more proper size with the head.

Auricle correction surgery

Auricle correction may include changing the shape, size or position of the ears, but also all of this together. Although the problem might only be with one ear, usually both auricles are operated, to ensure a better balance in the appearance. General anesthesia is normally used with children, but adults might also be operated under local anesthesia.

The technique of the surgery depends on the specific problem. Usually the patients want their ears to be closer to the head and then the procedure is the following:

• One incision in the back of the ear is enough to expose the supple cartilage, which is covered with skin.
• This is separated from the skin.
• After that the cartilage is sculpted and bended closer to the head, excessive cartilage is removed.
• Next, the skin is put back over the ear and the wound is stitched with absorbable or nonabsorbable sutures.
• The possible scars will be rather discreetly in the natural fold at the back of the ear.
• Finally a rather cumbersome turban-like bandage is put around the head to protect the ears.

The surgeon might make more incisions around the auricle during an ear reduction surgery. In that case, skin is removed from the cartilage the same way and the excessive cartilage is removed. The whole procedure usually takes two to three hours; it might take longer with a more difficult case. A longer inpatient stay might be necessary in the last case.

Surgery can help with many other ear problems as well. For example when you have a very small or a little sagging ear (the upper tip of the auricle, to be more exact); stretched auricles, ear lobes or piercings; the ear structure is defective; natural folds and curves are missing, etc.

Pre-surgery and post-surgery advice

You should consult with the surgeon before the surgery. You should also provide the surgeon with an overview of your or your child's medical history; the state of health at the moment and the seriousness of the problem. The surgeon can tell you after that, which anesthesia and technique is best for you.

The surgeon will give you exact instructions, what and when to eat before the surgery. Some medications and vitamins might be prohibited. Also smoking is prohibited for some time, since it hinders recovery.

You should supply yourself with painkillers beforehand and think about how to get home after the surgery. The ears may ache or throb a few days after the surgery. In that case you may take painkillers, though usually people feel discomfort not pain. The turban-like head bandage is removed about five days later and is replaced with a lighter bandage. The sutures are removed about a week later, if they are not absorbable.

You should pay special attention to keeping the wounds clean. The swelling usually goes down after two weeks. You should wait at least a month with more strenuous activities, but you can go back to school or work a week after the surgery. You can see the final result after six months.

Taking care of your ears

There are many reasons why ears might ache: frostbites, ear injuries, infections, tumors. Pain may also radiate to ears from other parts of the body, e.g. as a result of pharynx illnesses.

There are many ear infections:

• External ear infections are different auricle infections. Auricles can have growth disorders and tumors, infections and injuries. Symptoms of the most common infection – ergotism – are redness of auricles and burning sensation.
• The second most common infection is shingles, which is caused by a herpesvirus. Symptoms are pain and a rash with vesicles.
• Auricle injuries might be hematomas, lacerations and wounds.
• Diseases connected with the external auditory channel include an infection with the following symptoms: pain and itching, also pyorrhea in case of a more serious infection.
• Earwax blockages are also connected with the external auditory channel. Generally, you need earwax to prevent infections, but it can impair your hearing and cause tinnitus when it forms a blockage that is hard to remove. You should see a doctor if this happens.
• The most common middle ear infections are acute and chronic middle ear infection, secretory otitis, otosclerosis and other illnesses and injuries. Symptoms of acute middle ear infection are intense earache, rhinitis, cough, fever and poor appetite, in rarer cases also vomiting. Primary treatment is prescribing antibiotics, sometimes puncturing the eardrum.
• Symptoms of chronic middle ear infection are pyorrhea and impaired hearing.
• Inner ear infections are hearing loss, noise damage, tinnitus, etc.

Hearing loss is part of the normal aging process and the main cause is thought to be the loss of cells of the inner ear. Noise damage can occur with just a second (e.g. as a consequence of an explosion) or develop during time as a result of constant exposure to noise. The cause is the loss of cells of the inner ear due to loud noise. Tinnitus can occur with many different ear infections.