1. Who is a candidate for Ear Surgery ?
In general, the best candidates for ear surgery are people :
- Child, aged four or older, or adult.
- In general good health.
- No history of scarring problems, such as keloids.
- Wanting to improve appearance.
- Realistic in expectations.
- Understand the limitations on activities required for good healing.
- Able and willing to carefully follow the surgeon’s after-care instructions.
- The above is only a partial list of the criteria that your surgeon will consider in determining whether or not this procedure is appropriate for you. Be sure to ask your surgeon if he / she considers you (or your child) an ideal candidate for otoplasty.

2. Where will the surgery be performed?
Ear surgery is usually performed as an outpatient procedure in a hospital, a doctor's office-based surgical facility, or a freestanding surgery center. Occasionally, your doctor may recommend that the procedure be done as an inpatient procedure, in which case you can plan on staying overnight in the hospital.

3. Will the operation affect my hearing?
No. Only the outer ear is operated on, not the middle or inner ear, where hearing takes place.

4. How quick is recovery from Ear Surgery?
Adults and children are usually up and around within a few hours of surgery, although you may prefer to stay overnight in the hospital with a child until all the effects of general anesthesia wear off. The patient's head will be wrapped in a bulky bandage immediately following surgery to promote the best molding and healing. The ears may throb or ache a little for a few days, but this can be relieved by medication. Within a few days, the bulky bandages will be replaced by a lighter head dressing similar to a headband. Be sure to follow your surgeon's directions for wearing this dressing, especially at night. Stitches are usually removed, or will dissolve, in about a week. Any activity in which the ear might be bent should be avoided for a month or so. Most adults can go back to work about five days after surgery. Children can go back to school after seven days or so, if they're careful about playground activity. You may want to ask your child's teacher to keep an eye on the child for a few weeks.

5. What are some of the most common benefits of this surgery?
Otoplasty can dramatically change a person’s appearance simply by making protruding ears look more normal. Often the problem is caused by an undeveloped middle fold of the ear. There may be other deformities as well, making it necessary to perform several procedures on the ear at the same time. Otoplasty can reshape the ears, reduce their size, make them more symmetrical, and/or position them closer to the head. If you (or your child) are self-conscious about your ears, and always keep them covered with your hair, then this surgery can open up new possibilities for changing your appearance and your body image.

6. Will there be any visible scars?
In most cases, no. The scars are hidden behind the ear. However, if you are prone to scarring problems such as keloids, you should discuss this with your doctor before the procedure.

7. What is the long-term outcome like for most people?
The results are usually permanent, although there is always some small amount of "springing back" of the ears due to the elastic recoil of the ear cartilage.

1. Are there going to be visible scars on the nose?
Nose surgery can be done through cuts inside the nose (closed rhinoplasty). Sometimes cuts are made on outside but in such places where the scar is not visible. You can discuss that in person.

2. I understand that every surgical procedure has risks. What are the risks associated with rhinoplasty?
Fortunately, significant complications from rhinoplasty are infrequent. Some of the potential complications include hematoma (an accumulation of blood under the skin that may require removal), infection and reactions to anaesthesia. Numbness of the skin following rhinoplasty may occur but is usually temporary. Occasionally, if the surgical outcome needs further improvement, additional surgery may be necessary.

3. What is the total healing time and when can I join back the work without being noticed?
Just like after any other surgery or injury there is swelling of the involved part (nose) after surgery. Additionally there is usually swelling of the eyelids. There can be bruises (black and blue patches) on nose and lower eyelid. There is also splint and or tape and packing inside the nose. Pack comes off in a day or two and splint in 5-7 days. At the end of one week nose is still swollen but not very prominently so people join back the work and if there are still some bruises they can be easily concealed with makeup. It is very important to remember that every person heals at different rates.

4. How soon after the surgery can I see the results?
Results of surgery are only partially appreciated by 1-2 week. In case of tip modification more than one month is required to barely notice the result. This is because tip skin is thick and takes longer to redrape over the newly shaped cartilage framework. Tip shape can be gradually appreciated over next 3-6 months. In some cases tip has been seen to improve up to one year after surgery.

5. Is there a risk of developing breathing problem after surgery?
No, but if you have any pre-existent nose block then it may worsen after infracturing. Thorough nasal examination before surgery can detect this problem and it can then be tackled at the time of surgery.

1. What can be expected after surgery?
Results and recovery time will vary according to the type of procedure and the patient’s unique medical circumstances. Patient expectations are discussed at NYOG in a detailed treatment plan prior to surgery. Every plan will address comprehensive issues such as tumor control and subsequent quality of life. Continued care and follow up treatment does not end after surgery. In many cases it is the beginning of a long-term need for care.

2. How will pain be treated?
Depending on the surgery, there may be more or minimal post-operative pain. We believe that short-term pain should be aggressively managed and that pain relief is an important part of your recovery. Pain is treated with various methods, usually intravenously, in the early pre-operative period. After that, pain is controlled by medication, taken either by mouth or injection. Your surgical team and the NYOG’s Pain Management Service team will help with pain management. Many new therapies have fewer side effects and are more specific to controlling surgical and cancer pain.

3. Will I have trouble eating?
This depends on the type of surgery employed. In many head and neck procedures, swallowing can be temporarily or permanently altered. We work closely with talented speech and swallowing therapists, who can provide therapy in and out of the hospital setting.

4. Will there be scarring?
Scarring can occur, as it is part of the normal healing process. However, it often does not have any impact on one’s health. If it does, treatment options may be needed.

5. Will there be other long-term effects or permanent physical changes?
This depends on the extent of the disease as well as type of surgery performed. Some procedures have no permanent changes while others have transient or long term effects.

6. If I need plastic surgery, how soon can that be done following my cancer surgery?
As part of the reconstruction from necessary surgical manipulation, micro-vascular reconstruction can minimize cosmetic and functional defects from surgery. In certain cases, plastic surgery may need to be delayed for three to six months in order to allow the body to properly heal.

7. Will I need speech therapy?
Follow-up therapy is dependent upon the nature of the surgery. Some patients do require rehabilitation to regain normal speech. NYOG has a board-certified Speech and Language Pathologist (SPL) at its offices for patients that require such assistance.

8. When can I resume my normal activities?
This varies on the extent and kind of surgery. In some cases this can be as short as days but in others it may take weeks, especially if radiation therapy is needed post-surgery. Dr. Krevitt will provide a normal range of expected recovery based on the amount of anticipated surgery and extent of disease.