Bad Otoplasty? Opinions Please!

The answer to your question depends on your surgeon's technique - did he or she use dissolvable or permanent sutures; were they sutured from periosteum to perichondrium or just from soft tissue to soft tissue; was conchal cartilage removed or just repositioned.  The only one who can answer all these questions and more is your plastic surgeon.  You trusted him or her with your looks and your life.  I think it might be a good idea to trust him or her with your recovery.  

People who hate their ears sticking out and who have surgery are always so afraid the surgery won't work.  It's much too early to make any determinations.  Give time, time.

Unfortunately, it is unlikely that your result will get any better.  For now, what's done is done, so wait for the swelling to go down and then plan a revision 3-6 months after your surgery.  The problem likely was that the top part of your ear did not have enough correction....the sutures need to be specifically placed in strategically prepared areas of your ear in order to custom contour your ear.   Meanwhile, the bottom parts of your ear can be adjusted as well with a minor setback of the lobule.  Otoplasty and revision otoplasty are a tremendous passions of mine.  I would be happy to provide you a comprehensive evaluation!

Hi SLC,

Many patients have feelings of disappointment, regret, or remorse after having undergone cosmetic surgery and three days is way too short of a time to know your final results.  Things WILL change!  There is no question about that.  I recommend that you express your concerns to your surgeon and, this is the hard part, wait for at least 3 months before you make any final judgements about your happiness with the procedure.  If you are still unhappy with the results at that point, revision surgery can be considered.  You should stay in close contact with your surgeon and trust that he or she wants great results (and for you to be happy with the results) just as you do.

Good luck!

I see what you are concerned about, but do not think you should be too alarmed yet.  I would suggest wearing a headband 24 hours a day for the next 3 weeks.  If you surgeon abraded or scored the anterior cartialge, you should get some retraction of the superior portion of the ear.  If this happens, I do not think you will be concered about the lower portion.  If the cartialge was not scored anteriorly, you are probably more likely to need a secondary procedure.  Either way you are very close to surgery and need to give this a couple months.

 

I agree with the panel-wait until all the swelling is resolved. Then re-asses. Even if you do have a Telephone deformity, it should be relatively easy to correct.

Best of luck,

 

Dr Siegel

Swelling does not account for the ear deformity.

The condition may improve with time depending on whether the ear cartilage was aberaded (Weakened), if so then it does have a chance to go further back. I would help it bt wearing a headband and include the ears to push them back while healing for the next 2-3 weeks.

See your surgeon and follow his/her recommendations, they know what  was done

I understand your concern but I agree you should wait. Ears have a tendency to spring back out somewhat which may correct this feature over time. Your surgeon will be the best judge of your prognosis and will follow you until you are happy.

Regarding: "Bad Otoplasty? Opinions Please!  Had otoplasty performed, hoping to correct my protruding ears. After the procedure, my ears now have a "telephone" look, in which the middle portion is pinned, but the top and bottom portions are still stuck out. It has only been 3 days post-op, and my doctor says the "C" look will correct itself as the ears "spring" back out a few milimeters...but from what I read online on one post, most who receive this look immediately post-op, will have it stick with them for the most part"

I partially agree with you in that the upper portion of the ears could have been tightened more to reduce the distances between it and the sides of the head. The central portion on the ear on the right side of the photograph is not as pushed in as the ear on the left.

I would advise you wait at least 8 weeks to allow healing to take place. In the meantime, discuss this calmly and respectfully with your surgeon. No colleague that I know enjoys making his patients unhappy and all of us literally live to positively impact our patients' lives. When complications and substandard results occur, you must work with your surgeon more than ever to assure him that you still trust him/her and help him/her help you. For success, Plastic Surgery always is and remains a team effort by surgeon and patient. So, get over your disappointment and help him help you.

Dr. Peter Aldea

You are correct that your results will not likely improve over time. Even if the sutures pinning down the middle of your ears do relax over time, the top of your ears will still be more prominent than they should be.  Excess projection of the tops of your ears is easily seen in your picture, the bottoms are harder to see.  Correction of the upper part of the ears is usually done by re-creating the superior crus on the antihelical fold which is generally lacking or deficient in patients with prominent ears.  It appears in your case that this was not adequately performed and may need to be re-done but you should wait a few months before having another procedure.