The timing of otoplasty

Abstract

Counseling a parent as to the optimum age for their child to undergo surgery can be a difficult process. Cartilage at young age is more pliable so repositioning techniques rather than weakening/cutting techniques are utilized, including incision rather than excision of postauricular skin. These factors may explain why there is no significant change in growth characteristics following minimally “destructive” surgery. Being teased is a common experience of childhood; however, children with prominent ears experience more teasing than their peers. It is clearly difficult to predict whether a child will become self-conscious of their ears and if so at what age. Otoplasty has been shown to substantially reduce and in many cases eliminate bullying, improving psychosocial functioning and health-related quality of life. Most surgeons tend to favor performing the surgery when the child has reached a level of maturity firstly to express concern over their ears and secondly to cope with the postoperative aftercare required.