The prominent ear deformity is a serious problem that causes aesthetic and psychosocial problems. The absence of the inner fold of the ear, large, flat, and wide ear cartilages, or the combination of both results in an increase in the angle of the ear with the head. This causes a distinctive appearance in the ear.
When the child’s school period begins, a significant loss of self-confidence may occur, and or this situation may be made a mockery. While girls try to hide their ears with their hair, boys are relatively unlucky in this regard.
The ear completes most of its development around 5-6 years of age. Therefore, it is recommended to correct this deformity before the child starts primary school.
With the effect of estrogen passed from the mother’s womb to the child, ear cartilages can be shaped. If it is noticed in the first month of life, it is possible to reduce some prominent ear deformities with appropriate taping techniques and apparatus, but this requires a difficult and grueling process. In childhood and adulthood, the only treatment is surgery.
Surgery is performed under sterile conditions with general anesthesia in children and local anesthesia in adults. As a surgical technique, after the incisions made behind the ear, methods such as cartilage abrasion, shaping with a rope, preparing special flaps from behind the ear and removing the cartilage and removing the cartilage can be applied or their combinations. After the surgery, which takes approximately 1-1.5 hours, the auricles are closed and wrapped with a special dressing method. Bathing is allowed after the dressings are opened after 3-5 days on average. It is desirable to protect the ears with a tennis band-like band for 2-4 weeks.
In some cases, reoperation may be required for revision.