My ears have been overcorrected during an otoplasty years ago. Is there any way of moving them away from my head? (Photo)

Question

I originally had an otoplasty when i was 9 years old, and have also had surgery subsequently to fix an issue with the cartilage in my right ear. Now both ears look like they are stuck to my head, and i regularly get comments from people commenting on them and stating "have they been superglued to your head?" I appreciate that it is a difficult procedure to fix the problem, but any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Toby Mayer, MD · Answer

Treatment of overcorrected ears  after otoplasty. I would need to examine your ears to determine the exact nature of wives they are "stuck to your head". Whether this is due to missing skin or cartilage etc. this should be possible.

Edward Farrior, MD · Answer

Yes the over reduced ear can be corrected.  it depends a great deal on the type of otoplasty that was done the first time.  On occasion it might be necessary to graft additional tissue to release the ear from the side of the head.  It may even be necessary to graft with cartilage to make sure that the ear has enough support and even more rare is the need for a skin graft which would depend on haw much mobile skin there is in the vaccentity of the ear.

Samir Shureih, MD · Answer

To reverse the otoplasty would depend on the original surgery and if the cartilage was weakened (scored).All what you can do now is explore, remove the permanent sutures, remove the scar build up on the cartilage, release the skin and see if the ear springs back. If the skin is closed after this and I see the ear is pulled back, then there is shortage of skin and may need to replace that skin.

Waldemar Merck, MD · Answer

An over-correction is easy to correct if one was operated on with the stitch method. However, I suspect that you were operated on with a traditional method. Then it would be extremely difficult to remove the over-correction as the ears are fixed by scars.

Norbert Kang, MD · Answer

You will need to see a surgeon who can harvest some rib-cartilage from your chest.  This can then be used to prop your ear forwards although the outcome can sometimes be a little hit and miss.  Good luck.

My ears have been overcorrected during an otoplasty years ago. Is there any way of moving them away from my head? (Photo)

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