Overview

Mastoidectomy is a surgical treatment in which infected cells are removed from air space in your mastoid bone. Your mastoid is the area of your skull situated just behind your ear. Mastoidectomy is performed to correct cholesteatoma, or infection within your ear that has spread into your skull. It's also performed when there is cochlear implant placement.

What is a mastoidectomy?

Mastoidectomy is a procedure where infected mastoid air cells are removed. The air cells develop in the spaces within your mastoid — a honeycomb-appearing, soft bone just behind your ear.

Why is mastoidectomy conducted?

A mastoidectomy is required if your ear infection (otitis media) does become infected and extend into your skull. It also repairs cholesteatoma — a nonmalignant growth behind your eardrum, most commonly as a complication of persistent ear infections. Mastoidectomy is done during cochlear implantation in the majority of situations.

If your eardrum is broken, your doctor will perform a mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty. A tympanoplasty is a surgery to fix your eardrum. Tympanoplasty is also surgery behind your eardrum, even if your eardrum is not cracked.

How bad is a mastoidectomy?

How much of a procedure it will be will be up to your case. A simple mastoidectomy will eliminate the disease in your mastoid without disturbing either your ear canal or middle ear structures.

A canal-wall-up mastoidectomy or a tympanomastoidectomy involves removing more bone than a standard mastoidectomy. Your surgeon accesses the area within your middle ear behind your eardrum, including your ossicles — those three tiny bones within your ear that carry sound waves. Your ear canal is left entirely in place after surgery.

Canal-wall-down mastoidectomy, or tympanomastoidectomy, is done if the disease ruins your ear canal past the point of no return or when your ear canal needs to be ruined so that all disease will be gone. This opens up your ear canal and mastoid bone into a huge opened-up area known as a mastoid cavity or mastoid bowl. Your ear canal is usually enlarged and widened so that your mastoid cavity will be readily cleaned in the future. This operation is also referred to as a radical or modified mastoidectomy. It is usually reserved for severe or chronic (recurrent) disease that has failed after a less radical operation.

What happens before a mastoidectomy?

The health experts will provide you with pre-op instructions that you will be asked to abide by. In a few instances, you will need to discontinue some medications temporarily. Since mastoidectomy is conducted under general anaesthesia, you will also need to make alternative transport arrangements for a sober friend or family member to take you to and from your appointment.

What is involved in a mastoidectomy?

Doctors put you on anaesthesia before proceeding, and they do the following tasks:-

Create an incision behind your ear to access your mastoid bone. (Your surgeon will place this incision carefully to minimize the appearance of your mastoidectomy scar.)
Use specialized instruments to open your mastoid bone.
Remove the infected air cells in your mastoid.
Close the surgical site with stitches.
Dress the surgical wound with gauze.

A mastoidectomy surgery will usually last between two to three hours.

How does a mastoidectomy?

You shouldn't have to feel any pain as a result of your mastoidectomy. To that end, there will be some pain with any surgery. Your incision behind your ear should ache, and your ear should feel plugged or stuffy. You can reduce these side effects with OTC pain medication like acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

What is done following a mastoidectomy?

You'll wake up in recovery after your mastoidectomy. Your physicians will keep you company — you can go home when you are. Your surgeon will provide you with individual postop instructions. Take these very seriously.

Risks / Advantages

What is the benefit of a mastoidectomy?

A mastoidectomy can cure chronic recurrent ear infections and keep them from coming back (returning). Further, surgery can stop serious complications of cholesteatoma, such as:-

Hearing Loss.
Vertigo.
Dizziness.
Damage to the facial nerve.
Labyrinthitis.
Meningitis.
Brain abscess.

What are the risks or complications of a mastoidectomy?

Inner ear hearing loss (sensorineural hearing loss).
Paralysis or numbness of the face.
Loss of taste, usually weeks to months (dysgeusia).
Ringing in your ear (tinnitus).

Recovery & Prognosis

How soon will mastoidectomy be finished?

Mastoidectomy recovery takes six to 12 weeks. However, most people are back to work, school, and other activities in one to two weeks.

What is the prognosis for patients having mastoidectomy surgery?

Mastoidectomy most commonly succeeds but depends on why you have an indication for it and on how one is performed. Primary success in mastoidectomy is removing infection, not returning to hearing. Minimization of a certain degree of hearing loss may not be possible in radical mastoidectomy and canal-wall-down mastoidectomy.

When should I call doctor?

If you've just had a mastoidectomy, you should contact your doctor if you have:-

100.5-degree body temperature or beyond.
Bloody or copious drainage from the ear.
Facial Weakness.
Dizziness or vertigo.
Hearing loss.

Why Choose Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital for Mastoidectomy in Lucknow, India?

Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital is one of the best hospitals for Mastoidectomy in Lucknow, India. Our experienced ENT surgeons uses advanced technology, and provide patient-focused care, the hospital ensures safer procedures, quicker recovery, and improved long-term hearing outcomes.