The commonest reason for the ears to be prominent is a failure of the cartilage of the ear to fold normally during development, or for the ears to be rotated outwards away from the head. Surgery is therefore aimed at creating normal folds and de-rotate the ears. The operation may be called an otoplasty or a pinnaplasty, but it is the same thing!
For patients over the age of 10-11 years, surgery can usually be performed under local anaesthesia. The surgery involves making cuts on the back of the ear, and then re-shaping the cartilage using sutures.