Does Ear Cartilage Harvesting for Rhinoplasty Affect Hearing? Also, Can It Affect Earring Use?

Question

I had quite a bit of cartilage in my left ear harvested for my nose job. My ear seems fine although sometimes it feels strange when I put my hand behind my ear and feel that there is significantly less cartilage. Will cartilage harvesting affect hearing? Also, is it safe to wear dangling earrings a year after such an operation?

Houtan Chaboki, MD · Answer

Once appropriately healed, one should be able to resume wearing earrings. Many plastic surgeons will recommend waiting at least 2 weeks after surgery, if not longer. Ear cartilage graft for rhinoplasty should not affect hearing. Speak with your plastic surgeon regarding any concerns you have. Best of luck.

	Dr. Chaboki

Paul S. Nassif, MD · Answer

Harvesting ear cartilage for rhinoplasty will have no effect on your hearing. And once you have healed, it is perfectly ok to wear earrings. I hope this helps answer your question, and I wish you the best of luck.

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD · Answer

ear cartilage harvesting for rhinoplasty grafting has no significant side effects. It certainly has no effect on hearing.

James C. Marotta, MD · Answer

The use of ear cartilage is common in revision rhinoplasty. The cartilage is taken from the conchal bowl. Either the concha cymba or the concha cavum or both areas of cartilage can be used. The scar should heal as a very fine line along the conchal bowl rim. The use of ear cartilage should not affect hearing as the external cartilage has little contribution to hearing mechanisms. Earring use should not be affected because the cartilage is taken far from the earlobe. Ear shape should not be affected if the technique is performed properly.

Tanveer Janjua, MD · Answer

The loss of hearing that might happen from harvest of ear cartilage is minimal. I am only aware of one study by Dr. Fred Deleyianis that showed that it does happen.  You should not notice any hearing loss and after one year should be able to wear ear rings. 

	Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2010 Mar;136(3):304-5. doi: 10.1001/archoto.2010.23.
	Reconstruction of the concha to restore hearing after cartilage harvest for rhinoplasty.
	Deleyiannis FW.
	Source
	Department of Surgery and Otolaryngology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pennsylvania, USA. deleyiannis.frederic@tchden.org

	Regards
	Dr. J
	Disclaimer: This answer is not intended to give a medical opinion and does not substitute for medical advice. The information presented in this posting is for patients’ education only. As always, I encourage you to see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

Todd C. Miller, MD · Answer

Harvesting cartilage should have no impact on your hearing. You should be fine wearing dangling earrings after the ear has healed although dangling earrings can cause an elongated ear lobule regardless of whether or not you have had cartilage removed.

Michael Sundine, MD, FACS · Answer

The harvesting of ear cartilage should not affect your hearing in any way. The bowl area of the ear is used for the cartilage grafts and this area is not responsible for hearing. Also the use of the ear grafts will not affect your ability to wear earrings.

Barry L. Eppley, MD, DMD · Answer

Ear cartilage harvesting has no impact on your ability to hear. You can wear ear rings at any time now.

Pablo Prichard, MD · Answer

Dear vool,

	Thank you for your question.  No, there is no affect on hearing or earring use after cartilage harvest.  The cartilage that is harvested is from the 'bowl' of the ear and is not the support framework of the ear.

	Best Wishes,

	Pablo PRichard, MD

Steven Wallach, MD · Answer

Ear cartilage harvesting for rhinoplasty should have no impact on hearing. Commonly this cartilage is harvested from the conchal bowl.  Wearing earrings shoudl be safe once it has healed.

Does Ear Cartilage Harvesting for Rhinoplasty Affect Hearing? Also, Can It Affect Earring Use?

Answers (14)

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