Bespoke, minimalist ear surgery

by Dean Sun Feb 17, 2013  

My positive experience with Mr O’Toole… 

As a 6 year old in 1989, I had Otoplasty surgery on the NHS to correct my large protruding ears. After my bandages were removed, my parents noticed my left ear was almost glued to the side of my head, especially in the middle giving my left ear the appearance of a quaver crisp. However, my right ear looked completely natural - it had a good result. This now meant I had two very unsymmetrical ears.  

My parents politely challenged the surgeon on this, but his response was that the result was perfectly within the parameters of what’s considered a successful surgery. And with that said, my parents couldn't do much else apart from accept my ears and live in the hope I would do too. (I should point out, this type of operation wasn't very advanced back then and I have since learnt that many people were left with very unnatural looking ears, just like me). 

From around the time I started to become aware of my appearance, I started to become aware of my unsymmetrical ears. And the older I got, the more conscious I became. 

Unfortunately for me, around the time I was 16, digital cameras started to hit the market and people were taking more pictures than ever. What this meant for me, is that I would spend the next 13 years dodging pictures as best I possibly could. I won’t go into too much detail about how hard I tried to overcome the camera situation but you can probably imagine – tried growing long hair, posed with my head at an angle, made up a story that I wasn't allowed to have my photo taken etc, etc. You name it, I did it.  

Anyway at the age of 20 I started searching for a surgeon to correct my left ear. I contacted many surgeons worldwide and had consultations with a top surgeon in London and also with one of America’s leading surgeons in Virginia. Both refused to work on my ear which left me devastated and feeling that I was going to have to go through the rest of my life with a very unnatural, unsymmetrical looking left ear. Feeling deflated, I gave up searching for while, until I had an inspiration back in 2009 to search for ‘ear reconstruction’ surgeons as opposed to Otoplasty surgeons. I felt if a surgeon can create an ear where there isn't one, why can’t they correct mine. And so my search took me down a different path one that would eventually lead me to Mr O’Toole. 

On meeting Mr O’Toole, he made me feel completely relaxed, listened patiently to my story and never interrupted and completely understood how my left ear had affected me. He looked over my ears and told me immediately the type of procedure I had on my ears back in 80’s, which yielded few good results. He even went as far as drawing what he was trying to explain, to try and help me understand what had taken place with my ear and how he could possibly try to correct it. He then backed that up by showing me before and after pictures of other patients that had similar issues to mine. It was at this point I realised we had gone over our 40 minute consultation time, I apologised and he told me not to worry, and that we could talk for longer if I still had unanswered questions. What I liked the most about Mr O’Toole was the fact he was very open and transparent with me. 

He told me of all the possibly complications that could occur, he also told me not to expect my left ear to be completely symmetrical with my right (as this is impossible). But he also told me that he was fairly confident he could achieve a result which looks better than what it did but obviously something like that cannot be guaranteed. He then explained the prices involved and stated that if my ear came out looking worse than before, he would operate on my ear again for free (to correct it). He told me to not rush into a decision straight away, to think about it and contact his secretary if I wanted to go ahead. 

I went away and thought about everything he said and decided to go ahead with the revision otoplasty surgery in October 2012. Mr O’Toole came to see me before the surgery and looked at my ears again, took some photos, explained what he hoped to achieve and kindly asked if I wouldn’t mind going second as the girl next door was very nervous, which I said was fine by me. After my surgery, I was given some food and drink and discharged around 2 hours later.  

It’s now 4 months since my revision Otoplasty surgery with Mr O’Toole and my post operative results are fantastic. Your ear goes through a number of stages straight after surgery which is why you can never really tell the true outcome until 4-6 months after. My left ear now appears natural looking and is a lot more symmetrical with my right. I have been to see him since and he is very pleased with how my ear is looking and also healing. I no longer have an issue with my ear anymore and it feels great to not feel conscious about it anymore. I am, however, struggling to get used to posing for photos. Years of camera phobia due to my ear means I now have to teach myself how to relax in front of the camera but I’m having lots of fun in the process so don’t feel too bad for me. 

Lastly I would just like to say, if anyone is considering having their ears operated on, I would highly recommend you go and see Mr O’Toole. After you meet him you’ll be able to judge for yourself whether he is the right surgeon to operate on your ears. I know I'll be eternally grateful to him for correcting my ear which plagued me for so much of my life.  

by Andrew » Wed Apr 10, 2013  

Hi there, my name is Andy and I'd just like to post about my experience with Greg Otoole, a man and surgeon who I can honestly say has changed my life for the better. Having received surgery on my ears approximately four years ago, I was very disappointed to find that the disolvable sutures that had been used were simply not able to keep my ears in the preferable, post-op position. For many years that followed I became more and more obsessed with my appearance, specifically in regards to my ears, which I felt were not right. Approximately two years ago I was diagnosed with Body Dysmorphic Disorder, and while I was advised not to seek cosmetic treatment for my "deformity" (as I described my ears), that did not stop me from looking into options, as I felt I could only be happy if something was done to alter them. Some six-nine months of CBT therapy later, both private and NHS, I found that I was getting nowhere fast. So i decided to really go for the surgical option, with the consent of my therapist and GP, who simply thought that if this didn't work, at least I would KNOW that the issue was psychological and not physical (as my ears would be made as "perfect" as possible). 

I did a great deal of research and came across Mr Otoole. The great deal of faith his patients seemed to have in him struck me as a major positive, so I got in contact. Sufficed to say, within two-three months I was having my surgery at the Platinum Medical Center. In the weeks pre-op I made my needs known; I explained about my psychological condition and my previous experiences, Greg was more than understanding: he was knowledgeable. He told me about previous patients benefited from such surgery, even though they too were diagnosed with my condition. After several further weeks of contemplation, I decided I had nothing to loose, and so much to gain. 

The surgery itself went very well, and Greg took his time (he had told me exactly what he was going to do before hand, and I showed him what I wanted changed and the outcomes I expected). The operation that had previously taken 45 minutes the first time round, took over three careful and precise hours. The follow up service was excellent and I was treated very well as the injuries healed, and compared to the two weeks worth of bandages that I had to wear the first time round, my bandages this time were taken off after a mere 24 hours (I did not suffer a major bleed, any more than moderate pain, nor any infection). 

More than six months on, I am thrilled with the results. While my BDD is not gone, as it is a complex mental illness, my preoccupation with my ears is entirely removed, taking away the key cause for my concerns. I can honestly say that Mr Otoole has change my life. I can now go out and enjoy life far more than ever, and I am now in a position to really tackle the remnants of my condition. It should be noted that I do to some degree focus on my other "problem areas", and this was made clear to me as a possible side effect (by my psychiatrist and GP), however the preoccupations are mild in comparison to the anxiety I felt in regards to my ears, which as I said, is now almost entirely non-existent. 

It is very important that all future patients consider that Mr Otoole is not a miracle worker, he is only Human like the rest of us, but a very talented, empathetic and engaging human at that. He really listens to your thoughts, wishes and needs, offers free follow up appointments when required, free emergency surgery if required, and many other benefits. He simply could not try harder to meet patient needs. 

On that note, I suggest that you speak to Greg personally rather than simply taking my word for it, especially if you are considering surgery yourself. I honestly do not believe you will be disappointed, but just remember, everyone is different. Every head shape, ear shape, and mental state, so outcomes will vary, naturally. Do not expect miracles, you will be disappointed. But DO expect realistic, professional, and tailor-made results. 

I wish everyone well in the future, and wish Mr Otoole every success.

by Paul Fri Sep 21, 2012  

 he's a top bloke and the revision surgery he did on my ears changed my life around. 

I was born with large square ears and suffered bullying at school because of it. After school into adulthood things didnt get any better and my self esteem was very low. I decided in my 30s to try and resolve the problem and had 4long years of basically hell. ... Anyway long story short i hear of Mr otoole and sent an email. Right from the off he saw the problem, i wasnt mad. He spent time explaining everything through and told me he thought he could improve the situation for me. He emailed me and talked on the phone when i had doubts. I had the op and my ears are greatly improved and my life has changed greatly.