INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS UNDERGOING OTOPLASTY
(Correction of prominent ears)

This procedure reshapes the ears or corrects prominent ears so that they lie flatter against the head.

Prominent ears can cause anxiety whether the patient is a child or an adult. Experience has shown that psychological reassurance seldom makes the person with this problem feel any better, so early surgery is usually recommended. There is no reason why an ear correction operation cannot be carried out just before a child starts school or soon after. Conversely, there is no reason why this procedure cannot be carried out on an adult patient of mature age.

If the patient is a child or young person they must be involved in the decision-making process with his or her parents. It is important to distinguish between ears which are prominent and ears which look unnaturally big. Children’s ears often look unnaturally large until the skull is fully grown so operations to correct this appearance are inappropriate.

In some cases, the ear cartilage does not develop with the usual folds, so the ears protrude at an angle from the head. The ears can affect the choice of hairstyle and frequently affect a person’s lifestyle to the extent that he or she may avoid swimming because their ears protrude through their wet hair. At first it is the parents who are concerned that their child may be teased at school and may ask to have their child’s ears corrected.