INCISIONLESS OTOPLASTY BENEFITS AND RISKS

Incisionless otoplasty is most commonly used in infants who are born with ear deformities or who would likely in later years be candidates for ear pinning surgery. While infants are in the first months of life, their ears are pliable and almost moldable making their manipulation easier than in later years or adulthood. Incisionless otoplasty is primarily used to correct what are referred to as batwings, or protruding ears. This application is not normally an option for microtia repair, however there are some developing techniques for this congenital abnormality that might in the future become more mainstream. If the ear deformity is related to a medical condition or other underlying cause, this method may not be proper for your child, and so seeing a doctor to discuss all factors is advisable.

Most often, the ears are taped or otherwise secured to the head. A padded apparatus is molded and fitted to the ear with adhesive and steri-strips. The benefits to this procedure are of course the avoidance of later surgical methods for achieving the same goals and the associated ototplasty recovery, and because of the patient’s age, there is less discomfort and annoyance with the method. There are however, some risks to be considered, even with incisionless otoplasty.

One of the risks involved is that involving pressure points. Areas of increased pressure caused by the binding can cause damage and pain. As such, the doctor will want to check the ear and positioning of the securing materials in order to ensure that everything is both comfortably and effectively positioned. If you are interested in maintaining your child’s curly, golden locks, be prepared, because frequent clipping of the hair around the treated area will be required in order to maintain a proper place for the adhesives.

Incisionless otoplasty is something that is best discussed with a doctor, and as soon as possible. Weighing the risks and benefits with your health care provider will help you determine if the procedure is right for your child. In addition, finding the right health care provider to perform the initial procedure and maintain care throughout the process is critical, so it’s important to have a face to face consultation with any doctors that you are considering.