Mastoidectomy

Indications

There are several reasons to do a mastoidectomy. The most common is to remove disease of the mastoid itself. Diseases of the mastoid include mastoiditis (an acute or chronic infection of the mastoid bone), and cholesteatoma (a disease of displaced skin growing and eroding bone inside of the ear). Both of these conditions are common causes of chronically draining ear infections.

Another reason for a mastoidectomy is as an approach to other structures in the ear. The view of the middle ear structures through the mastoid is from a different prospective than through the ear canal. Cochlear implants are inserted into the inner ear after performing a mastoidectomy. The mastoidectomy allows the surgeon to insert the cochlear implant into the inner ear at the proper angle and with good visualization.

A mastoidectomy may be needed as an approach to tumors of the middle ear or even deeper structures such as nerve tumors (acoustic neuromas) or facial nerve tumors. These tumors cannot be approached through the ear canal alone.

The physicians of the Ohio Ear Institute, LLC will frequently perform mastoidectomy as part of an approach to give neurosurgeons access to parts of the brain and brainstem that otherwise would not be approachable, or not without more risks to the patient. Finally, mastoidectomy may be used as an approach to repair the facial nerve, or to repair a cerebrospinal fluid fistula (a leak of the fluid that surrounds the brain).