For children who have prominent ears, cosmetic ear surgery can significantly improve their appearance and enhance their self-confidence. Otoplasty (commonly referred to as ‘ear pinning’) repositions, reshapes, and/or resizes the ear. The procedure often takes up to one hour under a general anesthetic.
Ear Surgery
We understand pediatric surgery can be extremely stressful for parents. We at Western Surgery Centre have 25 years experience treating pediatric patients and we realize the difficulties parents and their children go through perioperatively. Trust is essential and we aim to earn it!
How It’s Done
Through small incisions behind the ear, our surgeons tether the ear closer to the head by trimming away excess skin and cartilage. Sometimes the surgeon will trim the cartilage to create a look that is not only pleasing but more proportional to the rest of the head. The surgical incisions are well camouflaged and almost imperceptible once fully healed.
Am I A Candidate?
Since ears finish developing in children by 4 years of age, we perform most otoplasties in children around the age of five. Manitoba Health can fully insure otoplasties until a person is 15 years of age. However, if you are in good general health and have specific but realistic goals for the improvement of your appearance, there is no defined age limit for this procedure.
What To Expect
The procedure is extremely reliable and generally requires a recovery period of 10 days. Patients may be some mild discomfort they can treat with oral medications. Bruising and discoloration behind the ears is normal and subsides within weeks. During the first few weeks after surgery, a headband dressing will help to keep the ears in position during the healing process.
We provide detailed preoperative and postoperative instructions at Western Surgery Centre.
Additional Information
Our goal is to provide you with the information required to ease the decision-making process.
We strongly encourage you to research the operation thoroughly. Here are some useful links to help you: