What is a mastoidectomy?

 

Believe it or not, sometimes you can get an infected bone or growth that occurs in the middle ear.

The mastoid bone contains cells that hold air (called air cells). Problems occur when an ear infection spreads to the air cells. Skin cells may also build up in an infected ear. These skin cells can form a growth (called a cholesteatoma). This growth can destroy nearby bone.

If not treated, mastoid bone problems may cause deafness, facial nerve damage, dizziness, brain infections or even death.

It may not improve your hearing in the affected ear, but as you can see, if left untreated the problems can be severe.

How does the surgery work?

To reach the mastoid bone I make an incision behind the ear. Infected bone and any growths are removed. Because there are many types of mastoidectomies, each surgery will be tailored to the type of infection present. Depending on how much bone is removed, some hearing may be lost.

This surgery would be performed under general anesthesia and takes anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. It may be done in conjunction with a tympanoplasty (repairing/replacing the ear drum) or an ossicular chain reconstruction (creating new ear bones to restore hearing).

 

 

 

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Teach & Learn, EarErin Shellenbergermastoidectomy, surgery