Otoplasty (Ear Surgery) in Frisco & the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex

WHAT IS AN OTOPLASTY?   

Otoplasty means reshaping the ears, and this can be performed with surgery (most of the time) or non-surgically (in infants less than 6–8 weeks old). Otoplasty does not generally refer to microtia repair, which is a deformity in infants in which the ear may be severely deformed or missing large components. Microtia often also involves abnormal development of the ear canal and other structures, not just the external ear.  

Many people are born with ears that they feel are too large or protrude too far from the side of the head. The medical term for this problem is prominauris or prominotia. This can have a significant impact on a person’s self-image and may even be a source of teasing in young children and adolescents. 

Luckily, we have many great options to treat ear deformities. Otoplasty means reshaping the ears and is commonly referred to as “pinning back” or “reducing” the ears.   

Each patient presents a unique case, as no one’s ears are the same, often differing slightly even in the same patient. For this reason, meticulous attention to detail must be undertaken to achieve symmetry between the two ears. 

Dr. Cain and Dr. Richardson both have specialized training in performing ear reshaping surgery and can assess your concerns and recommend which technique would provide the desired results during your consultation.   

HOW IS AN OTOPLASTY PERFORMED?

Ear pinning surgery is performed in our private surgical center and usually takes up to two hours to complete. The procedure typically involves incisions placed in the crease behind the ears, helping keep the resulting scars less noticeable. The cartilage in the ears is typically weakened and reshaped, and excess skin and cartilage may be removed in order to allow the ears to be repositioned to the desired location. 

In some cases, no cartilage needs to be removed, and the ear may be reshaped and positioned with sutures alone. 

In young infants less than 6-8 weeks old, the EarWell device can be used to reshape the ears non-surgically. After that time frame, the ear is no longer pliable enough to result in significant long-term non-surgical reshaping improvements. In infants treated with the EarWell reshaping device, there is no pain involved. 

In children and adults treated surgically with otoplasty, there is some mild discomfort postoperatively, but there is usually not much pain. Most patients take a small amount of pain medicine only for a day or two. Patients are discharged after surgery and follow up in the clinic on the first day after the procedure for dressing removal and a post-operative checkup. 

The doctors and nurses provide detailed instructions on how to care for the ears after the procedure, but there is very little maintenance involved other than protecting the ears for the first few weeks after surgery. This procedure is life-changing and has an extremely high satisfaction rate!   

WHAT CAN I EXPECT AFTER OTOPLASTY?

Patients should expect some mild discomfort for a few days after ear surgery. Some redness and swelling of the ears is totally normal. This takes several weeks to resolve completely, but is mostly gone after the first 7-10 days in most cases. There may be some numbness of the ears that takes time to resolve completely. 

Some mild relaxation of the otoplasty correction is possible over time, so in some cases, we may very slightly “over-correct” the ears to account for this relaxation over the first few months.

HOW IS OTOPLASTY DIFFERENT FROM MICROTIA REPAIR?

As described above, microtia repair involves a team of pediatric otolaryngologists, audiologists, and possibly otologists or plastic surgeons due to all the different deformities that may be involved. Otoplasty involves simply reshaping the external ear through the means described above.

WHAT IS THE EARWELL PROCEDURE?

The EarWell is a device designed to reshape the ears of young infants. This device is ideally placed within the first few days of life, but can be expected to achieve results in many cases up to around 6-8 weeks of life. The sooner this device is placed on an ear with a deformity, the better the results are likely to be. 

We are an approved EarWell provider. The device holds the ear in a fixed position so that as the cartilage matures over the first few weeks, the ear will hopefully hold its shape permanently. The device usually stays in place for about six weeks, with periodic checkups while the device is in place. Success rates are around 90% with the EarWell, but decline as the baby gets older. 

If your child has an ear deformity and would like to discuss the EarWell device, please contact us as soon as possible. We do have the device in stock and can hopefully fit your baby within a few days in order to achieve the best possible results without surgery. 

To learn more about EarWell, watch the video below or CLICK HERE to visit the manufacturer’s website.

HOW MUCH DOES AN OTOPLASTY COST?

The cost of otoplasty typically ranges from $8,000 to $9,500. The final cost can vary depending on the extent of correction needed, the surgical approach, and whether one or both ears are treated.

During your consultation, Dr. Jen Chow will evaluate your ear anatomy and discuss your goals to determine the appropriate surgical plan. You can then receive a more specific estimate based on the procedure recommended for you.

WHO IS QUALIFIED TO PERFORM OTOPLASTY?

Otoplasty surgery should be performed by a board-certified surgeon trained in the United States or Canada. Most surgeons performing otoplasty procedures are fellowship-trained in either facial plastic surgery, general plastic surgery, or pediatric otolaryngology. 

As fellowship-trained facial plastic surgeons, both Dr. Matthew Richardson and Dr. Jordan Cain are experts in otoplasty and perform this procedure commonly in our practice.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS