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Otoplasty (Ear Plastic Surgery) Otoplasty, the correction of prominent or protruding ears, is one of the most common plastic surgery procedures that is performed to correct developmental abnormalities from birth. Dr. Sherman is particularly interested in the problem of prominent ears and frequently performs otoplasties or "ear pinning", a cosmetic surgery procedure designed to pull the ears closer to the head. He has featured the correction of prominent ears (otoplasty) in children on the Today Show. Dr. Sherman is also the inventor of an instrument that helps in the correction of prominent ears (otoplasty). The deformity: There are several anatomical features that cause the protrusion of the ear. They are the lack of development or partial development of the antihelix, or a deep concha (cup) of the external ear. In most patients there is a combination of both of these features that may need to be adjusted during the otoplasty. Both of these problems will add to the protrusion of the ear, which is the distance taken from the edge of the helix (the ear rim) to the mastoid (the skull behind the ear). The normal distance of this measurement is about 1.8 cm. Operation: The nature of otoplasty plastic surgery procedure varies, depending onthe problems that must be corrected. These problems, as noted above, include: a deep cup of the ear (concha), a lack of development of the fold in the ear, and various cartilage problems.

Facial Plastic Surgery facelifts short scar face lift technique BOTOX® Cosmetic treatments Restylane® eyelid lifts (blepharoplasty) nose / nasal surgery (rhinoplasty) ear surgery (otoplasty) Breast Plastic Surgery breast augmentation endoscopic transaxillary breast augmentation cohesive gel breast implants silicone breast implants breast lift breast reduction (reduction mammoplasty) male breast reduction breast reconstruction congenital breast problems Body Plastic Surgery liposuction ultrasonic liposuction tumescent liposuction power assisted liposuction (PAL) male liposuction tummy tucks (abdominoplasty) Skin Enhancement laser peel BOTOX® Cosmetic injections collagen injections dermabrasion skin peel reconstructive skin repair scar repair

If the ear surgery is performed on an adult, it may be performed in the office as an out-patient or in the hospital. If you desire to have the ear surgery (otoplasty) performed in the hospital, Dr. Sherman uses either The New York Hospital Cornell University Medical Center, The Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital or The Lenox Hill Hospital; all are located in The Upper East Side of Manhattan. Otoplasty often is performed at one of two stages in life. If recognized early, otoplasty is best performed when the child is at the preschool level - age 5 thru 6. This is the most common time for correction, and continues through the early childhood years. Adult otoplasty correction is also very common. It has the advantage that it is performed under local anesthesia, with or without sedation. The otoplasty procedure usually takes about one to two hours, depending on the anesthesia that is used. Various internal suturing techniques, and cartilage removal and repositioning are used, again, depending on the nature of the problem to be corrected. Anesthesia: Because the young child cannot cooperate, and the fear of the operating room is often strong, Dr. Sherman recommends that otoplasty be performed for children under general anesthesia at the hospital. During the induction of the anesthesia, one parent is allowed in the room until the child is asleep. This is assuring and comforting for the child. If otoplasty is performed for the adolescent or adult, it may also be performed under intravenous sedation in our fully-accredited ambulatory operating room. Our anesthesiologists are fully trained and board-certified. We often use a pediatric anesthesiologist for the children. Convalescence: There is no pain after the first night of otoplasty. However, you must wear a bandage for the first 6-7 days. This keeps the gentle compression intact. We do recommend that you wear a ski band to sleep for 1-2 months after otoplasty surgery. Discoloration is gone by ten days after surgery. For the adult, return to work is after one week. Complications: The incidence of complications for otoplasty is remarkably low. Occasionally correction of the otoplasty may not stay, and then recurrence is possible. This may be repaired at a later operation. Dr. Sherman will review all complications with you. Insurance Reimbursement: There are some insurance policies that routinely reimburse the cost of the otoplasty operation if performed in the early childhood years. Our office staff will help you contact your carrier to see if this may apply for you. To set up a private consultation with Dr. Sherman, contact us today. Call us at (212) 535-2300 or e-mail us.