Surgery for Surfer's Ear
Surgery might be recommended if you suffer recurring ear blockage with water exposure, which can't be controlled with the use of ear plugs and ethanol ear drops.
Dr Brown is more likely to recommend surgery for younger patients who have many years of water sports ahead of them. Over the years, this has included people from teenagers through to their 70's.
His patients know that their hearing is safe in his hands.
What is "Surfer's Ear Surgery"
In order to prevent ongoing infections and to offset the problems of this condition, Dr Brown may recommend "Surfer's Ear Surgery" ( known in medical jargon as "Exostectomy/Canalplasty")
Surfer's ear surgery is performed either on a "day stay" basis at Southern Cross Gillies Hospital. Many of Dr Brown's out-of-town patients chose to stay overnight and return home the day after their procedure.
What does the surgery for Surfer’s Ear involve?
The technique utilised by Dr Brown involves using a high-powered operating microscope, diamond micro drills, the revolutionary Piezo device and his own custom made micro chisels to remove the overgrowths progressively. Dr Brown is also an experienced endoscopic ear surgeon, and may use this approach directly down the ear canal (no external skin incision) for those with smaller and well circumscribed exostoses.
The canal is usually accessed via an incision behind the external ear, and then while extreme care is taken to preserve the delicate skin which lines the ear canal, the bone is removed.
Dr Brown also takes meticulous care to ensure that the surrounding anatomy is protected; this including the jaw, the eardrum and nearby facial nerve.
Post op clinic visits are essential to safe and quick healing. Usually four or five are needed.
Hearing is tested pre operatively and then again once the ear has fully healed.
How long does it take to treat Surfer’s Ear/Exostoses surgically?
As an expert Ear Surgeon Dr Brown usually takes around 2 1/2 hours to complete a canalplasty for Surfer’s Ear/Exostoses.
What is used to remove the growths?
The technique utilised by your specialist Ear Surgeon , Dr Brown, involves an optimal combination of techniques tailored specifically to the individual needs of each patient.
Do you need anaesthesia?
Yes, canalplasty is performed by your Ear Surgeon Dr Brown under a general anaesthetic, administered by a specialist anaesthetist at Southern Cross Gillies Hospital.
Surfer’s Ear & Exostoses Surgical Recovery
Dr Colin Brown, Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, is New Zealand’s most experienced currently active surgeon in the definitive operative management of Surfer’s Ear/Exostoses.
We provide a detailed several page agenda about the journey to widen your ear canals, starting with a "relaxed" day one off work. You'll be impressed with the care and attention you get at Gillies Hospital (not to mention the excellent food)!
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Recovery Time
For the first week, the ear will be blocked with an antibiotic dressing in the canal which will be removed at the first post-op appointment a week later.
​At the first post-op appointment, a lighter dressing will be applied to allow normal hearing. Cleaning and redressing will continue on a weekly or fortnightly basis until the ear canal has fully healed; this is generally around 6 weeks. For some (eg surfing competitors, those travelling overseas for surfing) this may be as short as 4 weeks, depending on the size of the exostoses.
A week off work is recommended. While surfer's ear surgery isn't considered a large procedure, the combination of anxiety, stress and a general anaesthetic result in a feeling of jet lag for about two weeks afterwards. For those who work at a desk, it's certainly possible to do some light work, phone calls etc in the first week, but it's important not to "over-do it". For those who work outdoors, or who need to do lifting, its better to aim for a fortnight off, or, trying to modify your work requirements in initially.
The incision line behind the ear is closed with dissolving stitches, and then protected against water exposure and infection, by a thin film of skin glue.
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Sport/Exercise/Gym
Plenty of walking is fine, immediately afterwards.
Very light Exercycle/Cross trainer ( at the intensity level where you can read small print) is also fine soon after.
Golf- putting and quiet chipping is fine within the first few days post op.
Resistance training is best left for 3 weeks.
Water sports/water exposure- is usually fine after 6-8 weeks.