What method does Dr. Lam use when he performs otoplasty?
The most common deformity of the ears is known as lop ear deformity in which a bend in the cartilage known as the antihelical fold is absent. There are many ways to recreate the fold: cutting out cartilage, suturing the cartilage, and/or scoring and softening the cartilage. Dr. Lam believes that cutting all the way through the cartilage can lead to visible cut edges over a period of 1 to 2 years and is not an ideal way to perform otoplasty. Instead, he uses a combination of methods, both scoring and softening the backside of the cartilage to permit the cartilage to easily bend and to break the recoil of the cartilage along with suture modification to keep the recontoured cartilage in position. This combination method has permitted the optimal and permanent results for Dr. Lam’s patients.Another type of deformity known as a cup ear deformity can also exist with a lop ear deformity or in isolation. A cup ear deformity is characterized by an excessive curvature of the area near the ear ca
