Leaflet Details
| Title | Pinnaplasty |
| Department | Ear, Nose and Throat |
| Author(s) | Miss Pandora Hadfield |
| Review Date | September 2022 |
| Next Review | September 2024 |
| Download | A5 Booklet PDF |
| Accessibility Options | Click on the Recite Me button to show our accessibility resources |
Patient Information
Why is the operation being done?
To improve the appearance of your child’s prominent ears.
What will happen in the operation?
The operation will be done from behind the ear, with no scars visible from the front.
There will be some fine small sutures on the back of the ear; these will dissolve in due course. The ears will be protected by a dressing and head-bandage which will be removed at the post-operative outpatient appointment a week after the operation.
What are the possible complications?
Sometimes the ears are not entirely symmetrical and depending on the technique used they could partly revert to their original shape, but this is unlikely. There may be a little bleeding afterwards, but this usually settles especially if your child keeps their head up and avoids lying flat. The head bandage will feel quite tight and uncomfortable afterwards but if your child complains of progressively increasing pain or a fever this may be due to an infection, which could cause loss of the remaining cartilage and loss of support of the ear. This is most unlikely but if you are concerned, please consult the A&E department at the Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford, details below, (not St. Peter’s or Ashford Hospitals), and ask to be seen by the on-call Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) staff who are available 24 hours a day.
What medication will my child need?
This is not a particularly painful operation, but it is advisable to stock up with paracetamol (Calpol) and ibuprofen (Nurofen).
How long should my child stay off school?
Although they feel well afterwards it can be hard to hear through the head-bandage and most children prefer to stay off school for a week until their post-operative clinic appointment when the head-bandage is removed.
What should I do to prepare for the operation?
It is important to buy a couple of snugly fitting elasticated (tennis type) sports headbands for your child to wear at night for 6 weeks after the surgery. It is crucial to get these before the operation as you can try them for size whereas after the operation your child will have a head bandage on and will not be able to try the elasticated headbands over it.
Any further worries?
If you are concerned after the procedure, these please consult your GP, the ward at St. Peter’s Hospital or in an emergency the A&E department at the Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford.
- Oak Ward, St. Peter’s Hospital: 01932 722712
- Royal Surrey County Hospital: 01483 571122
Further information:
https://www.entuk.org/patients/conditions/16/protruding_ears_bat_ears_pinnaplasty
Consultants and Specialists
- Mr Sam Cartwright, Consultant ENT Surgeon
- Mr Andrew Cruise, Consultant ENT Surgeon
- Mr Stephen Derbyshire, Consultant ENT Surgeon
- Miss Pandora Hadfield, Consultant ENT Surgeon
- Dr Tatiana Gutierrez, Speciality Doctor ENT
