Most often performed on children between the ages of 4 and 14, otoplasty sets prominent ears back closer to the head, or reduces the size of large ears. Ear surgery is an outpatient procedure that lasts between 2 and 3 hours. Anesthesia is usually general for young children, but can be local with sedation for older children or adults. Possible risks may include cartilage infection, excessive scarring, blood clots that may need to be drained, mismatched or artificial-looking ears, or recurrence of the protrusion that requires repeat surgery. Our board-certified plastic surgeon will discuss the procedure in detail during the consultation, and answer any questions you may have. Otoplasty procedures are also occasionally covered by health insurance, depending on the circumstances.