What kind of anesthesia is used for an otoplasty (ear surgery)? Will they be awake and aware of what's going on?

These questions should be discussed with your treating surgeon. In my San Francisco area practice, for simple otoplasty (cartilage scoring and suture correction of prominent ears) we offer local + sedation in our office or general anesthesia in our member hospitals. Be aware that more complicated otoplasties (up to and including microsurgical reconstruction with tissue taken from the forearm or thigh and cartilage harvested from the rib) may require general anesthesia and would not be safe to perform under local anesthesia or in an office setting. It depends on the extent of the surgery. I hope this helps.

The anesthesia type depends on how long the operation will take. Sometimes it takes minutes and sometimes hours. Therefore you should check with your surgeon and he will inform you about and what will be the best for you.

It depends on the extent of correction involved. If it is a relatively short procedure, like reducing the length of the earlobe, then local anesthesia is sufficient and you would be awake. If it is more extensive, such as transferring cartilage to the ear, general anesthesia would be needed.

Most of the time, otoplasty surgery is performed under local anesthesia. The injection will numb your ear and surrounding area and also sedatives might be given to you to keep you relaxed. This means that you will be awake during this procedure but you won't feel anything in your ears.

Each surgeon has their own preference for anesthesia during an otoplasty. As surgeons, we always want our patients to be comfortable during any procedure. In my practice, I perform otoplasty on young children (usually around age 5 or 6) under general anesthesia in a hospital setting. For older teenagers and adults, I often recommend IV sedation with local anesthesia. Some patients may desire purely local anesthesia, but this can potentially make the surgery more difficult for the patient and the surgeon. I always discuss these options and concerns with my patients during their consultation so that they are aware of the options, risks, and benefits, of each anesthesia technique. Best,

Hello,I feel almost all otoplasty in adults can be performed under local anesthesia only. This even includes some patients in the teenage years. Anesthetizing the ear with local anesthetic can be done quite easily without significant discomfort. If you were feeling anxious about the procedure a medication like Valium could be prescribed for you to take prior to surgery.

There are several types of anesthesia that can be used during otoplasty. Most commonly, otoplasty is performed with local anesthesia with and without I.V sedation or under general anesthesia. Both are excellent options with high satisfaction rates amongst patients. Our biggest priority is patient safety, and because of this, we always have an anesthesiologist present to monitor the patient when either I.V. sedation or general anesthesia are utilized. In younger patients we prefer general anesthesia, but in older patients we prefer local anesthesia. This allows the patient the ability to see the results before leaving the operating room. If you have concerns about anesthesia or intra operative safety, make sure you discuss these issues with your surgeon.

An otoplasty can be performed under local or general anesthesia based on the severity of the problem, the patients age, and level of comfort. An evaluation of the patient's medical history can also determine whether or not a local or general anesthesia is required. Usually, the patient undergoes otoplasty under general anesthesia, but if a local is chosen, you will be awake and will usually feel no pain. Make a consultation appointment with a board certified facial plastic or plastic surgeon to determine your best options,

Prominent ears can be repaired under local or general anesthesia and will depend on the severity of the problem, the patient tolerance and the surgeon's preference.

An otoplasty (ear pinning surgery) can be done under local or general anesthesia. This depends on the patient and the surgeon's comfort level. Typically younger patients will need general anesthesia since they usually are not as cooperative when awake. Healthy adult patients can sometimes tolerate being awake for the procedure and don't mind the local anesthetic injections. The surgery can also be done with local anesthetic as well as IV sedation where the patient is in a semi-awake state but is still able to breathe on their own. This should be discussed with your surgeon during your consultation in detail and have the procedure tailored to your specific situation. Best wishes, Dr.Bruno