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revision otoplasty 24/10/17
I first went to see Mr Greg O' Toole in July...
Since the age of 13, I first became hugely self conscious and increasingly aware that my right ear was much more prominent than my left. For the next 20 years it really, really bothered me, I covered that ear with my hair at all times, avoided photos and was desperate to have otoplasty. What may have seemed trivial to most hugely affected my confidence, already being self conscious of how I looked anyway, the ear was the one thing I could try to improve! However , being very squeamish and a wimp when it comes to pain the "old style" method and need for a GA horrified me. Quite by chance, I came across an article in a newspaper about the new pioneering earfold method, with Norbert Kang . I was instantly intrigued and fascinated and immediately searched this procedure online, doing a huge amount of reading and research having never heard of it before. The minimalistic approach with a rapid return to work etc really appealed to me so in May 2015 I tentatively emailed Mr O' Toole's team but at that stage was just too nervous and hesitant to take it any further. I spent the next year or so continuing to read countless patient reviews and thought it sounded everything I had ever hoped for and more.... I knew deep down I still desperately wanted this done and would always regret it if I never proceeded further, so in July I emailed again and booked my initial consultation, knowing that if I didn't do it now I never would.
The hardest part for me and the biggest step to take was this initial consultation, I wondered "what was I thinking?!", I was so unsure, nervous and uncertain of what to expect, having never had any procedure or surgery before. On the day I was so nervous I could hardly speak! Mr O' Toole straight away put me at ease, was very welcoming, friendly and approachable, almost instantly my anxiety disappeared and although I felt embarrassed and reluctant to show him my ear, he understood it is a sensitive subject and nothing to be self conscious about. He carefully explained exactly what both earfold and earstitch involved, clearly stating what can and cannot be achieved by each method, and made it very clear the risks of possible post op complications, the expected recovery time, chances of recurrence and the cost. He also fully answered my questions then asked me what I would like my ear to look like, and got me to show him in a mirror, he listened to how I felt, valuing my opinion and expectations. I personally wasn't keen on the earfold , preferring instead the idea of the stitch method, to which Mr O' Toole agreed but said we could try on an earfold anyway just to see what result it would have for me, it overcorrected my ear confirming the stitch would work best. Mr O' Toole showed and talked me through a "touch surgery" computer generated simulation, which was absolutely brilliant in showing me exactly how this surgery works , this was extremely useful to me, helping me to understand the procedure fully to get a realistic idea of what it involved surgically. I walked out elated, impressed by everything I had heard and so glad that I went, any doubts I had earlier had faded away , and he had installed confidence in what he could offer- I knew now for certain this was a realistic option to me.
I was advised to go and spend time thinking carefully about this decision, and a week later decided I definitely wanted to go ahead, so it was booked for October- it was available before that but I had to arrange time off work and had the options of the Royal Free Hospital , London or the Platinum Medical Centre, London , I eagerly anticipated the day and couldn't wait to get it done. On the day of surgery, Mr O' Toole again explained clearly and concisely what to expect. Everything went amazingly well, I was actually excited and it was far , far better than I ever imagined, I anticipated it to be a very painful, scary experience but in fact it was very pleasant and strangely enjoyable! This was largely thanks to the fact that during surgery Mr O' Toole remained calm, highly focussed yet still able to put you at ease, along with the fantastic operating theatre team at the Platinum Medical Centre, who very extremely kind, caring, friendly and reassured me hugely by explaining exactly what was happening and why,and what to expect at every step of the procedure, even making me smile! Without their expertise, professionalism and empathy I would have been very fearful and found the surgery far more daunting. All of the nursing staff also provided a wonderful degree of care, courtesy and kindness which again made the whole day so much easier and relaxed, at all times you felt so safe, well cared for and constantly reassured. I found the surgery itself a lot easier than I had expected, I thought I would be extremely nervous but it went really well, I went to the theatre at 11.40 and was back on the day care unit by 12.20, had my head bandage off a few hours later and was able to leave for home just before 3pm.
During and after the procedure I felt no pain, I had prepared myself for weeks if not longer of awful pain!, the local anaesthetic I hardly felt, and there was no pain at all during the procedure, I was just aware of movements, and noises, I experienced what I would describe as throbbing and discomfort rather than pain for around 4 hours the evening of my surgery, it was bearable and 2 paracetomol soon sorted this , there was no further pain at all, by day 4 the swelling and bruising had virtually disappeared and it healed with no issues at all . I had a 3 day post op check up then the stitches were removed 3 weeks post op , which did hurt a little but nothing too bad.
I am delighted and amazed at the improvement and difference, giving me a huge boost already and just being able to walk out the day of the surgery with my hair up for the first time in 20 years felt great!. Mr O' Toole is honest, realistic and makes sure you are fully aware of the chance of recurrence but he ensures you would feel happy and able to return to him which really puts your mind at ease.
Right from my initial enquiry I have also found Mr O' Toole's secretary to be very helpful , polite and made sure it all went very smoothly, emails were replied to promptly, all of my questions were answered and I was kept fully up to date on appointments and all aspects of booking which has made it so easy and straightforward for me which was great!
I don't think I knew what to expect but the whole experience has been a very positive one, and a pleasant surprise just how well it has gone so far, all of my initial fears and worries soon disappeared, I felt sure I had chosen the best surgeon, a very highly skilled, competent and experienced man who cares about the patient and their expectations first and foremost. I was overwhelmed and quite emotional by the amount of kindness, and excellent care I received throughout, I knew I had no reason to be worried and would especially recommend Mr O' Toole and his team if you are very nervous, self conscious or unsure as his gentle yet knowledgeable manner instantly puts you at ease. I am so thankful I saw that article in the paper by chance and found out all about it, I am glad I went for the earstitch option as I preferred this idea rather than earfold, but it is definitely worth comparing and considering both.
I will be forever grateful and thankful to Mr O' Toole and his team for everything they have done for me , I am so impressed with the results so far, after having waited for so long for something I never thought was possible for me it means the world to me that it went so well and is a huge relief to have achieved this at long last!, I definitely made the right choice and without doubt one of the best decisions I have ever made. By choice I still wear a headband overnight and whenever I am not working with others as I feel this holds my ear back further, I do feel without the headband it would have moved out more by now, I am due a review this summer to see if there is any chance to further tighten this ear anymore as I do prefer the very flat look and would ideally like to ditch wearing a headband by day. Overall, I am still thrilled with the result, having literally loathed my ear for so many years I am so , so pleased I had this procedure.
Provider Review
I found Mr Greg O ' Toole to be very kind, down to earth and approachable, I was extremely nervous and anxious to go to the first consultation- so much so that I almost didn't go!, he puts you at ease straight away, explains everything clearly, gives you a realistic idea of what is achievable or not, and answers any questions you may have honestly, you are able to return to him after the procedure if you aren't happy or have any problems. I found him to treat you with a lot of respect, and genuinely cares that the patient is happy with the results and he will achieve the very best he is able to . highly recommend especially if you are unsure and nervous.