Ear correction surgery is the most desired surgery for those suffering from protruding ears. After surgery, it is important to follow all the surgeon’s recommendations to avoid complications.

As a rule, the patient leaves the clinic a few hours after the operation and undergoes outpatient recovery. Sometimes rehabilitation in the ward may be prescribed for a day.

Before discharge, dressing and postoperative examination are prescribed, or for these purposes it is necessary to come to the hospital.

One week after otoplasty

For the first three days, a bandage and a bandage are put on the head after otoplasty with a tight fixation of the ears; it is worn around the clock and is not removed.

On the third day, an examination by a surgeon is scheduled, removal of compression bandage and cotton swabs. Some experts leave the compression bandage on for another four days, but can be removed for showering and leaving the house.

Three days after removing the bandage and removing the tampons:

• Hair washing is only permissible from the third day when the special bandage is removed. The water temperature should not be hot. There are no restrictions on the choice of shampoo, but if possible, ears and seams should not be touched.
• You can use a hair dryer to dry your hair, but it is advisable to use cool or warm air.
• The sutures are treated with Chlorhexidine or Miramistin twice a day.

On days 7-10, another examination and suture removal is scheduled.. During this period there is no point in expecting final results from correction of protruding ears - there is still swelling on the cartilage, and the ears themselves are too pressed to the head.

One month after otoplasty

After the first week after ear surgery, the headband is put on only during sleep and worn for 2-3 weeks.

What to do after otoplasty

• It is advisable to sleep on your back after ear surgery. However, there is an opinion of experts that in the absence of pain and complicated operations, sleep is possible even on the operated ears, that is, on the side.
• Visit to the swimming pool, taking a bath, sauna, hammam, sauna is prohibited until complete healing postoperative sutures, about two weeks.
• Sports training are also canceled until the ears heal. At the same time, contact sports are banned for an average of a year.
• Wearing glasses is acceptable after a month or two of ear surgery; at this time it is advisable to switch to lenses.
• Hair coloring and cutting are permissible after the seams have fused. At the same time, it is important that the ears are not bent or pulled back ( this recommendation is relevant for 6-12 months after ear correction).
• Acceptance sunbathing and solarium are acceptable from 7-14 days after consultation with the surgeon. It is worth considering that the seam areas are photosensitive to solar radiation; it is advisable to apply sunscreen and hats.
• Alcohol for the first week, or better yet, more long term undesirable, as it slows down healing and increases swelling in the ears.

Headphones that are inserted into the ears and large ones on top have no restrictions.

• You can wear earrings from the third day, the only exception is heavy jewelry that pulls on the earlobe and ear.
• Self-prescription of vitamin-mineral complexes, as well as the use of local ointments, is undesirable without a doctor’s prescription.

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Complications after otoplasty

Any surgery leads to predictable and, accordingly, expected complications, as well as unpredictable ones.

1. Bruises after otoplasty are a response to surgery. This complication resolves on its own within two weeks. This defect can be hidden with a hairstyle or with loose hair.
2. Swelling after otoplasty, is also normal and resolves within a month. Some swelling of the cartilage may be mildly present for up to three months.
3. How much do your ears hurt after otoplasty?? The pain has an individual character and begins to be felt immediately after the anesthesia wears off. Pain after ear surgery lasts no more than a week and is relieved with analgesics.
4. Mild numbness may be felt in an ear or two for up to a month and a half and should go away on its own.

For prevention various kinds complications after plastic surgery ears First of all, it is recommended to strictly follow the recommendations of your plastic surgeon and visit the clinic for dressing changes in a timely manner.

It is important to note that when planning otoplasty, the surgeon must take into account the individual characteristics of the patient. At the same time, the plastic surgeon must have experience in treating severe complications, as well as master the methods of reconstructive surgery.

The following complications are possible after otoplasty:

• Painful sensations . For rehabilitation period Quite often the patient experiences pain in the operated area. The cause of severe pain in most cases may be excessive pressure from the bandages or the development of a hematoma. If the pain does not subside within a few days after otoplasty, then this may indicate inflammatory processes.


• Hematoma. About availability this complication, as a rule, is indicated by throbbing or bursting pain in the ear area, bleeding from the wound, swelling and tissue tension. If a hematoma is detected during the first dressing, its contents are removed and the patient is prescribed antibiotics and hemostatic drugs to prevent inflammation.


• Maceration of the epithelium. A complication can be caused by applying a sufficiently tight bandage that disrupts tissue trophism. After removing the bandage, these areas of skin go away special treatment and within 5-7 days skin are being restored.


• Inflammation. Pain, swelling and redness of the skin in the operated area indicate the development of infectious process, which in turn can provoke necrosis cartilage tissue. When such complications are diagnosed, the patient is hospitalized.


• Allergic reactions . When applying bandages after ear surgery, use medical supplies which may cause allergies in the patient. In such cases, bandaging should be done, the wounds are thoroughly washed and applied wet. aseptic dressings. In addition, the patient is prescribed antihistamines.


• Hypertrophic and keloid scars. Scars mainly occur after excision of the skin in the area of ​​the postauricular fold. Depending on the severity of the scars, conservative or surgical treatment, in some cases, radiotherapy is indicated.


• Perichondritis. The complication occurs due to the development of inflammation in the tissues of the auricle. Perichondritis can lead to the development of cartilage necrosis, which can be eliminated by removing dead tissue and covering the defects with skin grafts or local tissue.

What is otoplasty? Literally meaning "ear modification", the procedure is the reconstruction or correction of the shape and size of the ears by surgical intervention. Simply put, this surgery is indicated for the 5% of the population with abnormally protruding ears.

Types of operation

The most common and oldest way to get rid of protruding ears is scalpel otoplasty ears. This method is not very revered among patients: after surgery, scars remain, the process itself takes more than 2 hours, and rehabilitation is quite long.

A modern alternative to a scalpel - laser otoplasty. During the operation, specialists make incisions using laser beam. Among obvious advantages medical manipulation: the shortest rehabilitation period and the absence of postoperative scars.

Laser otoplasty is gradually losing ground, giving way to innovative method - radio wave operation. Doctors, armed with radio waves, painlessly deprive the patient of the complex. And a person recovers after such a procedure for no more than three weeks.

The rehabilitation period after “ear correction”, regardless of the type of operation performed, is divided into early and late. We'll talk more about each of them below.

Features of the early postoperative period

Before and after otoplasty

Otoplasty of the ears is a type of surgical intervention, the implementation of which entails a violation of varying degrees integrity of soft tissues and cartilage. Hence the obviousness of such unpleasant symptoms such as pain, swelling and bruising. The severity of these signs depends on the progress of the procedure, the characteristics of the patient’s body and his compliance with medical recommendations. Duration early rehabilitation varies from 7 to 10 days.

More about the main thing: pain, swelling and bruising

Normal postoperative symptom mild, even minor pain is considered. In case of low pain syndrome The patient is advised to take analgesics. This can also be attributed increased sensitivity ears - this sign disappears after a couple of days.

Swelling and bruising do not leave the patient for 2-3 weeks after surgery. More often they resolve on their own, in rare cases surgical drainage is required. A slight increase in temperature in the first days after the procedure is also considered normal.

What you need to know about compression bandages?

The postoperative bandage fixes the ears in the correct position and prevents them from moving until the tissue begins to heal. Among others important functions performed with a bandage:

• protection of ears from possible injuries;
• preventing the spread of swelling and hematomas formed in the surgical area.

What is an attribute? Is it normal or elastic bandage, made in the shape of a ring that is worn on the head. You can replace it with a special bandage; it is very comfortable to wear in postoperative period. A special feature of the product is its universal size due to the existing fastener (adhesive tape).

The duration of wearing the bandage is 1-2 weeks. Medical attire can only be removed if prescribed by a doctor.

After the procedure, the patient will undergo at least 2 dressings:

1. A day later. During the process, the condition of the ear is assessed.
2. On the 8th day. During the dressing process, doctors remove the stitches.

After the examination, the specialist evaluates the result and gives additional recommendations.

Used medications

When dressings, tampons soaked in antiseptic are placed on the suture area. To speed up wound healing, the doctor may prescribe some healing ointments, creams, and gels. The most common option is Levosin ointment.

In case of severe pain, the patient is advised to take painkillers. They are usually given by injection.

Important to know! Prescribing any medications recovery period, especially if otoplasty was performed on a child, it is carried out only under the supervision of a specialist.

For ease of understanding, we will list the main postoperative recommendations of doctors in the table:

Features of the late postoperative period

The main task of this period of time is to provide conditions for the rapid healing of operated tissues. The period ends after 30 days. It includes a list of recommendations regarding lifestyle and nutrition, if followed, you can count on a favorable result.

At this time, the patient may be bothered by minor swelling, partial loss of sensitivity in the ears, and discomfort in the scar area. These symptoms are normal and indicate that the ears are not ready to fully cope with the functions assigned to them.

Pay attention! Pain in the late postoperative period - uncharacteristic symptom. If this occurs, consult a doctor.

Diet

Nutrition during the period of recovery of the body after surgery is characterized by the following features:

1. It must be varied in order to guarantee admission required quantity vitamins, minerals and other components into the patient’s body.
2. The patient's diet should consist of easily digestible foods.
3. It is better to give preference to lean meat (rabbit, poultry, beef), cereals, vegetables and fruits.
4. All spicy, fried, fatty, salty, smoked, spicy dishes are taboo for the patient.

Such nutrition, as well as refusal bad habits, will provide excellent otoplasty results and eliminate possible complications.

Let's talk about the unpleasant: risks and complications

Any operation does not exclude risks and complications. Cosmetic surgery, be it laser otoplasty or any other operation, is usually quite healthy people- hence the small percentage of complications.

Among the possible unpleasant manifestations during the recovery period, experts include:

• divergence of wound edges;
• development of infection;
• necrosis of ear tissue;
• volumetric hematomas.

An operation such as otoplasty shortens some of the nerves in the ear, so it may lose some of its sensitivity for up to 12 months.

The ear cartilage boasts a “memory”, under the influence of which the auricle constantly tries to take its original position. Therefore, any operation may be unsuccessful - the protruding ears will return to the patient over time. In such cases, repeat otoplasty is performed.

Evaluation of results

7 days after surgery, specialists are able to evaluate the initial aesthetic improvement in the shape and location of the ears. Once the bandage is removed, the patient can immediately notice improvements. In a favorable situation, the result progresses every day. This will continue for an average of 6 weeks. At this same stage, the doctor may decide that otoplasty was unsuccessful.

Doctors come to a final conclusion a year after the procedure. Most patients are satisfied with the result. However, almost always the operated ears differ minimally from each other - a slight asymmetry remains. This does not mean that revision otoplasty is inevitable. This can be caused by the course of the procedure itself, or, most likely, by the initial asymmetry of the ears.

As you can see, the rehabilitation period after this kind of cosmetic surgery plays a key role in ensuring proper results and achieving positive cosmetic effect. The lion's share of successful ear correction is hidden in painstaking adherence to the entire list of doctor's recommendations.

Alina (21 years old, Lipetsk), 07/15/2015

Good evening! Please tell me how long the operation (otoplasty) on 2 ears lasts?

Good afternoon The operation takes 1 hour. Otoplasty goes under local anesthesia, so a long hospital stay is not required.

Lisa (25 years old, Minsk), 02/22/2015

Good afternoon!! Please tell me about a 4 month old child. The ears began to roll up when she sleeps on her side and now she is becoming a paw, (for 6 months already) if you wear a hat or bandage, can the ears be corrected or is otoplasty no longer necessary? the cost of otoplasty and when can a child have it (age) thank you!!

Natalya (36 years old, Stupino), 09/14/2015

Hello, please tell me, how long does it take to undergo tests for otoplasty of the ears?

Good afternoon It won't take much time from you, just 1 day. If you wish, you can undergo tests at any place convenient for you and provide the results to us, but they must be fresh.

Mila (40 years old, Moscow), 10/09/2015

Hello, Maxim Alexandrovich! Please tell me if there is age restrictions for otoplasty? My daughter (18 years old) has severe protruding ears; the girl suffers from the constant jokes of her classmates. Is it possible to perform an operation quickly and painlessly in such a early age? Thanks for your answer, Mila.

Hello, Mila! Otoplasty can be performed on children as young as eight years old. In addition, scars heal better in children and adolescents, so there is no need to worry about surgical intervention. Bring your daughter for a consultation!

Anastasia (26 years old, Moscow), 11/09/2015

Good afternoon I want to have otoplasty, how long after the operation can I travel on an airplane? Thanks a lot!

Good afternoon, Anastasia. If hygiene standards are observed, otoplasty does not interfere with flight. There will be no complications from the flight.

Natalia (29 years old, Vologda), November 6, 2015

Good afternoon. 10 days ago I had otoplasty on 2 ears. The left one didn’t hurt at all, but with right side I am worried about constant strong throbbing pain not at the site of the incision, but in the head. The localization of pain is constantly expanding. I went to the clinic, the doctor (not the one who operated, since the operating surgeon was visiting) said nothing was wrong and advised me to take painkillers if I had pain. After the operation itself, I did not take antibiotics, because... They said it wasn't necessary. Could this be inflammation? What should I do?

Good afternoon, Natalia! Pain can be a complication after surgery, or it may not be associated with it at all. An examination is necessary to see if there is inflammation and what is its degree. You definitely need to consult with a specialist in person.

Tatyana (41 years old, Tyumen), December 21, 2015

Good afternoon, Maxim Alexandrovich, I would like to consult you on the method of otoplasty surgery for my daughter Nastya, she is 11 years old. The fact is that she has one ear larger than the other, because the right one is, as it were, folded and slightly pointed, i.e. less tall than the left one, and they are both protruding. Which method would be more suitable for us: laser or conventional. We plan to have the operation in our city and possibly in next year, but I would like to know your professional opinion, because... the child is afraid and we want the operation to take place with minimal consequences and pain. Thanks in advance for any answer.

Can be eliminated as surgically, and conservative depending on the clinical situation.

Asymmetry of the ears

It is discovered some time after the operation, when the swelling subsides and the bandages and sutures are removed.

Complete symmetry of the ears is quite difficult to achieve, so minor asymmetry does not require repeated surgical intervention. If the asymmetry is significant, then a repeat operation is performed.

Prevention of complications after otoplasty

It is not recommended to wash your hair for some time after surgery. For 1-2 months after surgery, you should not engage in active or traumatic sports. In addition, in the first time after surgery, you should carefully avoid household head injuries, which can lead to damage to the ears.

The risk of complications after otoplasty will be minimized if the patient carefully selects a qualified plastic surgeon and also carefully follows his recommendations in the postoperative period.