Ear Pinning for Prominent Ears

Ear pinning is the common name for otoplasty done to bring prominent ears closer to the head. Several questions come before choosing it.

What to ask first

Ask the surgeon what they plan to change about your ears and what they will leave as it is. Ask what you can expect to look like at the end of healing, and how they will check the result against the other ear.

Three numbers to request

Ask for the complication rate, how many patients it was measured in, and the follow-up period. A rate with no sample and no follow-up cannot be compared with another surgeon's.

Group sizes and follow-up in ear studies

When you are choosing between methods, look for comparison studies. They should tell you how many patients were in each group and how long they were followed. A hospital system's page on otoplasty, including the procedure and recovery describes the procedure but is not a comparison study.

Do not borrow numbers from other procedures

Treat any number as belonging to the procedure it was measured in. General ear surgery pages, such as one public health service's guide to ear correction surgery, including ear pinning and a facial plastic surgery academy's page on otoplasty, describe the procedure. Ask your surgeon for figures from ear pinning itself.

A university view on ear reshaping

A university health system has an ear reshaping page to read alongside the others.

The rate, sample size and follow-up to have confirmed

Decide on ear pinning once the surgeon has given you the three numbers above and explained how they apply to you. The Otoplasty and Ear Reshaping hub lists the other ear topics.

Whether ear pinning suits your ears is a question for a surgeon who has examined you, and none of this is medical advice.