Post-op Otoplasty Concern

[Holden43]

I had otoplasty (or ear pinning) 20 days ago to bring protruding ears closer to the head. I was instructed to wear a headband for 24 hours a day for 1 week following the surgery.  I wore the headband as instructed and after a week the surgeon said that I would only need to wear the headband at night for another month. I noticed that my ears have been protruding more with time and that the right ear is protruding more than the left. I let the surgeon know this and he told me to continue wearing the headband during the day but didn’t give much more information. The stitches are supposed to fall out on their own but haven’t done so yet. I wanted to know how much starting to wear the headband now all the time could impact the degree to which the ears protrude. Would the ears already have healed into their final position? Also, if I wear the headband tighter would that impact how much they protrude?

Thank you,
Doug

[Howard Rosenberg, MD]

At this point, the purpose of the headband is to prevent accidental pull of the ear forward, particularly at night.  In addition, the compression may help swelling and take tension off of the sutures placed in the cartilage.  Some protrusion of the ear may be a result of swelling from the surgery.  If the results are not what you expect after several more months, then the concern would be disruption of the deep cartilage sutures or unequal adjustment of the  tension of the sutures that were placed.

[Howard Rosenberg, MD]

Any additional surgery should wait at least nine months to one year following the date of the original procedure to allow maximum maturation of scar tissue and reduce bleeding during the procedure.  Caulifolower ears are the result of repeated trauma and bleeding, and a consequence of this surgery.

[apollo43]

Thank you for your response. I recently met with the surgeon for a check up appointment. He gave me temporary sutures that fell out on there own within a month after the surgery. I don’t know the exact technique he used. He told me that some asymmetry was typical. He suggested that I wear the headband at night until another check up appointment next month and that I should wait until then before I decide to have revision surgery.

[Holden43]

Dr. Rosenberg,
Thank your for input and prompt reply. My surgeon used a cartilage scoring technique which involved making incisions in the back of the ears rather than placing permanent sutures. As of now, my ears are still bruised by the top but don’t appear to be swollen. I’m not sure if this is due to the headband. Another plastic surgeon has told me that it is possible for the headband to influence the results if it is constantly worn. I’ve been wearing the headband all the time. My follow up appointment is July 7th.Would I be at risk, however, of cauliflower ear or some other type of damage if the headband was worn too tight or worn all the time? If the ears were very asymmetrical or protruded too much I would consider a revision surgery. If I were to need a revision, how soon after the initial surgery could this (or should this) be performed?

Thank you