What is a pinnaplasty?

Well, pinnaplasty is the medical word given to the operation otherwise known as correction of prominent ears.

What is the difference between pinnaplasty and otoplasty?

The correction of prominent ears may be termed pinnaplasty and it may also be termed otoplasty, so they are the same procedure.

How are the ears pinned back during pinnaplasty?

Lots of different techniques have been described for correcting prominent ears. Most are performed as a day case under either a local or general anaesthetic.

In general, with all of these techniques, a cut is made behind the ear which enables special stitches to be placed behind the ear, which better define the anti-helical fold, which will help to set the pinna back.

And special stitches are then used to join the scaphoid of the ear into the mastoid of the skull and that will set the whole ear back against the head. The wounds then tend to be closed with a dissolving stitch and special dressings are then used to keep the ears in position.

Does ear pinning hurt?

Pinnaplasty surgery always involves use of a local anaesthetic. So once the anaesthetic is in, the first 24 hours or so are very pain free. Beyond that, simple analgesia such as paracetamol is usually sufficient to manage the pain for most patients.

How long does ear pinning surgery take?

Pinnaplasty surgery will often take between around 60 to 90 minutes to complete. That includes the administration of local anaesthetic and the positioning of the dressings.

The most common benefit of ear pinning is that it improves the appearance of your ears and, as a result, boost your self-esteem.

As with all types of surgery, pinnaplasty has risks associated with the procedure including scarring, changes in skin sensation, problems with stitches and overcorrection of the pinning. Your Consultant will talk you through these and any risks associated with anaesthesia.

There’s not much you need to do to prepare for your ear pinning procedure, but – as with most operations - you should stop smoking or vaping several weeks before your surgery, which will help the wound heal. Your Consultant will advise whether you should stop any medication ahead of the procedure.

On the day of your surgery, you can shower and wash your hair as normal. But we would recommend avoiding any hair styling products, such as hairspray, mousse or gel.

It’s also worth thinking about what you’ll wear. Avoid anything which needs pulling over your head or which comes into contact with your ears.

Your surgery will be carried out under a local or general anaesthetic and will take between one and two hours.

Your Consultant will make a cut on the back of your ear and remove some skin from the cartilage. They may remove small pieces of cartilage to change the position of the ear, so it’s closer to your head. They can also correct any asymmetry at the same time.

Once over, they’ll close the wound with stitches. You’ll be left with a small scar behind each ear, which will fade with time.

We’d recommend that you make arrangements for someone to drive you home after your procedure, especially if you’ve had a general anaesthetic.

Your ears might be sore and bruised for a few days and you’ll need to wear a bandage. This means you won’t be able to wash your hair, go swimming or take part in any contact sports until the bandage is removed.

You may want to sleep upright to keep any weight off the ear or wear a headband to protect your ears.

As the stitches heal, you may experience some pain, numbness or tingling in the ears. You can relieve this with over-the-counter medication.

After ten days or so, your stitches will be removed. They’ll be able to advise when you can start swimming again or resume playing sports.