Pediatric Otoplasty: An Evaluation of the Surgical Technique, Results, Patient Satisfaction, and Influence of a Medical Fee

Objective: In our center (UZ Brussel), a small modification of the “Converse and Wood-Smith technique” is used to correct prominent ears in children. We present our results and complication rate. We also investigated the influence of a temporarily introduced medical fee on the number of operations and satisfaction of the patients/parents. Methods: Out of all children that were operated (otoplasty) on between January 2005 and December 2016, we included all minors with a minimum follow-up period of 6 months. Data about complications were collected retrospectively from their medical files. Data about satisfaction of the patient/parent and surgeon were prospectively collected by questionnaire. Patients were excluded from the study if they were previously operated elsewhere, if the questionnaire was incomplete, if their auricle could not be classified as a grade I dysplasia (Weerda) or as a class V dysplasia (Tanzer’s classification), and if the protrusion was secondary to any genetic disease, trauma, or infection. Results: The parent’s/patient’s satisfaction differed significantly from the surgeons’ satisfaction, with the patient/parent being more satisfied than the surgeon. In 9 out of 105 ears (8.6%), revision surgery under general anesthesia was needed to resolve a complication such as recurrence of protrusion. The introduction of a medical fee did not have a significant influence on the mean number of surgeries performed each year and did not alter patient’s/parent’s satisfaction. Conclusion: The results of our modified Converse and Wood-Smith technique were satisfying for correction of prominent ears. The introduction of a medical fee did not seem to have an influence on satisfaction. Cite this article as: Smets T, Gordts F, Foulon I. Pediatric otoplasty: an evaluation of the surgical technique, results, patient satisfaction, and influence of a medical fee. B-ENT. 2023;19(1):24-31.