Otoplasty Considerations
During your Otoplasty consultation with Jonathan Heistein, M.D., he will answer questions you may have about the procedure or treatment and will discuss any safety concerns related to the surgery.
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Otoplasty (ear pinning) is a procedure designed to correct protruding ears. This may be addressed either as a child (as young as 6) or in adults. The incisions are confined to the skin behind the ear and involve some combination of sutures, cartilage excision and skin removal. A protective band is generally worn after surgery to ensure that the sutures are not stressed. Recovery is fairly quick, about 1 or 2 weeks.
The overall cost of an Otoplasty is affected by anesthesia fees, hospital fees, post-surgery garments, and medications. Price is also impacted by medical tests, surgeon’s fees, and the exact techniques employed.
During your Otoplasty consultation with Jonathan Heistein, M.D., he will answer questions you may have about the procedure or treatment and will discuss any safety concerns related to the surgery.
Your Otoplasty will be performed in Jonathan Heistein, M.D.'s surgery center located in Fort Worth, TX.
I want to say thank you for the incredible care I received from you. From the initial visit with your warm attention to all the details, and your patience with all my questions, you have shown professionalism and compassion.
by PS
There is not necessarily a certain age, more a maturity level before undergoing surgery. Parents need to be sure that the child wants to have the surgery and that the parents are not pushing surgery because of a perceived imperfection. Some children are ready as early as six. A good time to begin talking to your child is when they start showing subtle signs such as hiding the ears behind the hair or wearing hats.
Although no two patients or surgeries are exactly alike, scars from otoplasty are usually well hidden behind the ears so that they will not be easily seen.
When ear surgery is performed by an experienced board certified plastic surgeon, complications are infrequent and usually minor. However, as with any surgery, complications are possible. A small percentage of patients may develop a blood clot on the ear. It may dissolve naturally or can be drawn out with a needle. As with any surgery, infection is a risk, but these infections are usually well treated with antibiotics. Recurrence of the protrusion is also a possibility if the ears are not protected after surgery.
Most otoplasty surgeries performed by Dr. Heistein are performed on an outpatient basis so that you can recover in your own home.
You can call our office to schedule a consultation. This is usually the best way to ensure that your specific concerns can be addressed by Dr. Heistein.
Also, The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) provides information about otoplasty on their website.
