On the day of surgery, you (or your child) will need a responsible adult to accompany you to and from your doctor's surgery center. This individual will need to be available by phone, so that they are ready upon your discharge. Additionally, someone will need to stay with you for your first 24 hours following surgery.
Upon admission to your doctor's facility, a registered nurse will spend about an hour preparing you for surgery. You should expect to spend about 2 to 4 hours for pre-operative admission, surgical time and post-surgical recovery. (Complicated cases may require additional time.) Your surgery will likely be performed under local anesthesia with sedation or a light general anesthesia. During your stay, our surgical team will care for you. Your plastic surgeon's team usually includes a nurse anesthetist, registered nurse and surgical technician. Many plastic surgeons have been working with most of their staff members for many years and some almost since the time they started their practice. The entire team is committed to providing you with superior care and ensuring that your surgery is a success.
Patients undergoing otoplasty leave with a bulky bandage wrapping over their ears and head. This dressing promotes optimal molding and healing. The ears may ache or throb for a few days, but this can be treated with medication. Typically, patients are up and about within a few hours following their discharge.
The heavy bandage is typically removed after a day or two and replaced with a lighter head dressing, similar to a headband or tennis sweatband. This sweatband will help to support the cartilage and help form the cartilage during the healing process. Your plastic surgeon will give instructions on when to wear the headband. Also, any non-dissolvable stitches will be removed at about 2 weeks. It is especially important that all post-operative instructions are followed to achieve the best result possible.
Your plastic surgeon will give instructions about resuming activities, but typically the patient should avoid any activity that might bend the ear for the first month after surgery. Most adults can return to work after about 5 days. Children can return to school after about 7 days. However, they will need to be careful on the playground and/or sports activities. Plastic surgeons would advise you to talk to your child's teachers, so that they can be aware to keep their eye on the child's activity level for the first few weeks post-operatively. They would also be happy to provide a written medical excuse, if needed.
With ear surgery, complications are typically infrequent and minor. Potential complications include blood clots and infection. While a blood clot is generally a rare occurrence, it may naturally dissolve or can be drawn out with a needle. Infections are usually treated with antibiotics. As with any surgery under a general anesthesia, there is always the risk of a reaction to the anesthesia.
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