Otoplasty Reversal

Q: Dr. Eppley, I had an otoplasty done several years ago to correct my protruding ears. When I saw the results, I was disappointed and thought my ears were undercorrected. I decided that I wanted another operation. We did the operation again 3 months after the previous operation, which I think caused my antihelix to thicken. nI don’t mind that my antihelix is thick, I do mind how close my ears are to my head. I also developed a telephone ear deformity. All I would like to do is return back to how my ears looked before, but I know that might be difficult. How difficult would it be to return it the original shape and protrusion or something close to the original shape and protrusion?

A: I would need to see pictures of you ears, both now and before, to better answer your question. But I think the question is not whether your ears can return to their initial preoperative state, because they can’t, but how close or what type of result, could such an otoplasty reversal come to it. There is no going back home, so to speak, there is only how much closer to home can you get. Very few surgeries are ever 100% reversible.

Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana