Otoplasty in patients with helix valgus: quality of life and satisfaction

Abstract

Abstract Background Importance of helix valgus lies in the psychological and social effect it could have on the patient. Our objective was to assess the impact of otoplasty on the quality of life of children with prominent ears and to establish possible predictors of post-surgical outcomes. Material and methods A retrospective review of children with prominent ears who underwent otoplasty between 2016 and 2018 was conducted. Demographical information, medical history, characteristics of helix valgus, motivations for surgery, complications, and post-surgical satisfaction were collected. To assess changes in parent-reported quality of life and patient satisfaction following surgery, the validated Glasgow Children’s Benefit Inventory (GCBI) and Patient Outcomes of Surgery-Head/Neck (POS-Head/Neck) surveys were used, respectively. Results Fifty-three patients responded to the survey (64.6%). From those, 90.6% of parents reported an improvement in health-related quality of life after otoplasty, with a 24.6 ± 20.6 average score on the global GCBI scale. The post-surgical score on the POS-Head/Neck surveys was significantly higher than the pre-surgical score (p < 0.0001), suggesting an improvement in patient-reported aesthetic appearance. Analysis of possible predictive factors showed significant differences regarding age. Children over 10 years of age obtained significantly higher scores in both questionnaires. Conclusions Otoplasty has a clear positive impact on the quality of life of children with prominent ears. Age at the time of surgery appears to be a predictor of post-surgical outcomes. Our results would justify delaying surgery until 10 years old.