Canal Otoplasty

[OrnotMajestic]

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I figured this would be a good area for some feedback.

I've recently (past few years) developed a problem with my hearing. The bone nodules in my ears have been growing, and I generally have a 15% ear canal opening when all is well (in both ears). Basically, my ears scare primary practioners.

I do have an ENT, and he says it doesn't take much to cause my ears to swell shut (wax, water, etc), so I constantly have hearing loss in one of my ears, and sometimes both (which is problematic).

I'm currently in the process of interviewing at medical schools, and I'd like to have this problem cleared up before I start. My ENT said that he wants to refer me to a surgeon for a "canal otoplasty" (from what I remember him calling it) once I have medical insurance again (which will be in a month or so).

My question in...what kind of surgery is this? What does it entail? I'm assuming that it is the removal of the bone nodules, and he mentioned a "widening of the ear canals" since i have small ear canals to begin with. Is this an extensive surgery? I require it in both ears and I want to know a bit more about recovery time and all that jazz. Any insight would be helpful. I've tried googling this, and didn't come up with much.

Thanks!!

 

[doc05]

The best person to ask is your otolaryngologist. or try emedicine.com

 

[OrnotMajestic]

The best person to ask is your otolaryngologist. or try emedicine.com

I've tried, but I never can seem to get a hold of him. I'll try again this. I was posting here for convinience sake.

 

[neutropeniaboy]

[...canal plasty...]

My question in...what kind of surgery is this? What does it entail? I'm assuming that it is the removal of the bone nodules, and he mentioned a "widening of the ear canals" since i have small ear canals to begin with. Is this an extensive surgery? I require it in both ears and I want to know a bit more about recovery time and all that jazz. Any insight would be helpful. I've tried googling this, and didn't come up with much.
Thanks!!

Without having any direct knowledge of what is in your external auditory canals, you in all likelihood have what are technically refered to as "exostoses." These are typically bilateral and benign bony outgrowths in the external canals. Some would classify them as neoplasms (benign, of course) and very similar histologically to osteomas (another, usually isolated, benign neoplasm of the external canal).

Usually we leave them alone...unless they cause persistent external otitis or interfere with hearing.

If that's the event, a canal plasty is performed. Basically, there are two ways to perform the procedure. One is by making an incision behind your ear, flipping your ear forward, and cutting the skin of your ear canal off. At this point, a drill is used to shave down the bony outgrowths until an appropriate diameter is achieved. At this point, the ear canal skin is placed back down. If there is a need for more skin to cover the canal, a piece of skin can be taken from somewhere else on your body. After this, your ear is packed with a certain type of foam to stent open the canal for a while. Alternately, some surgeons will perform the procedure through the canal itself without making an incision behind the ear. This basically involves lifting up the canal skin and drilling the bone down as before. A skin graft may be placed as well.

There are risks: injuring the facial nerve which traverses horizontally and medially to the tympanic membrane (it shouldn't be violated) and then vertically behind the ear canal (it can be injured).

Some people will get restenosis or narrowing of the canal after the procedure, but this is due to tissue, and not bone.

Questions you need to answer: how bad is my hearing? How often do I get ear infections? Can I afford the time to do regular (biweekly, initially) follow-ups?

 

[OrnotMajestic]

Thank you SO much for that informative post!!

Here is more information for you:

I do not suffer from persistent otitis. My ear canals DO get inflamed a bit and swell a tiny bit, but never infections. Instead, water is easily trapped in my ears and causes almost like a "swimmers ear" affect. That, and I get wax buildup. Due to the extent of the exostoses, it doesn't take much swelling or water or any other matter to close off my ear. What I do suffer from is extensive hearing loss. Most of the time, I have hardly any hearing in one ear. When both ears close off, I'm nearly deaf.

My ENT told me that he feels these "exostoses" or as he referred them to me as "bone nodules" have been growing due to either irritation or cold water swimming. Regardless, they have nearly closed off both ear canals. Thank you SO much for all this information as it is exactly what I was looking for!! 🙂