Ending the Insidious Danger Behind the Ear: Mastoidectomy Surgery
Don't let persistent and foul-smelling ear discharge, hearing loss, and stubborn inflammation (cholesteatoma) in the bone behind your ear threaten your health anymore. Using advanced microsurgical techniques, we completely remove this dangerous inflammation from the bone behind your ear, protecting your facial nerve and meninges, and providing your ear with lasting safety.
What is a mastoidectomy and in what situations can it save lives?
The hard bone we can feel when we touch it, located just behind our ear, is called the "mastoid bone." The inside of this bone isn't smooth like marble; it's filled with tiny, honeycomb-like air chambers. Chronic middle ear infections or dangerous skin cysts called "cholesteatomas," which erode and grow by destroying the bone, can eventually infiltrate this honeycomb structure. It's impossible for medications or drops to reach inside this bone. Mastoidectomy surgery is a procedure where, through an incision behind the ear, the inside of this bone is meticulously hollowed out under a microscope, removing all inflammation, decayed tissue, and cholesteatomas. This is more of a "life-saving and cleaning" operation that protects the ear and brain, rather than a "hearing enhancement" surgery.
- Those who have yellow/green ear discharge that lasts for months, does not respond to medication, and has a foul odor.
- Patients diagnosed with "Cholesteatom" (aggressive cyst that erodes bone) in the middle ear.
- Those at risk of inflammation approaching the facial nerve or the meninges (meningitis risk).
- Those who experience redness, swelling, and severe pain in the bone behind the ear
- Patients with perforated eardrums and eroded ossicles due to chronic middle ear inflammation.
Our goal is not just to clear the inflammation, but to make the ear a safe haven.
In mastoidectomy surgeries, an ENT surgeon's top priority is patient safety. This is because the inflamed area we are cleaning is in millimeter-precise proximity to the facial nerve, which controls facial expressions, the meninges, and our balance organ. At Dr. Nurten Küçük, my philosophy in this surgery is to radically remove the diseased tissue, leaving not a single cell behind, using high-magnification microscopes and specialized nerve monitors (devices that protect the facial nerve). Only after this flawless cleaning can we build that healthy, dry, and safe structure in the ear, preventing future infections.
Microscopic Sensitivity
The surgery is performed under general anesthesia using a surgical microscope. The diseased bone tissue is meticulously shaved away millimeter by millimeter using specialized micro-drills until completely healthy bone is reached.
Security through Nerve Monitoring
To prevent damage to the facial nerve, advanced "nerve monitors" are used throughout the surgery to instantly indicate and stimulate the nerve's location. This minimizes the risk of facial paralysis.
Healing and Dressing Process
Because the inside of the bone is hollowed out and a thorough cleaning is performed, the healing process is slightly longer than with tympanoplasty (just a membrane patch). The stitches behind the ear and the special sponges inside the ear are monitored with dressing changes at intervals determined by your doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is cholesteatoma, and why is it so dangerous?
Cholesteatoma is not actually cancer or a tumor; it is a skin cyst that grows in the wrong place (the middle ear). However, as it grows in layers like an onion skin, it has the ability to erode (decay) the surrounding ossicles, the balance organ, and even the bone protecting the meninges through the enzymes it secretes. Therefore, it is essential to surgically remove it completely as soon as it is detected.
Will my hearing be completely restored after the surgery?
The primary goal of mastoidectomy is not to improve hearing, but to stop dangerous inflammation and bone loss. If the inflammation hasn't yet eroded your ear ossicles, hearing improvement can be achieved by repairing the ossicles (combining them with tympanoplasty) during the same procedure. However, if the disease is very advanced, the priority is to dry up the ear and secure it.
Is there a risk of facial paralysis?
The nerve that controls facial movement passes directly through the middle ear and mastoid bone. Inflammation (especially cholesteatoma) can adhere to the sheath of this nerve. In surgeries performed by an experienced surgeon under a microscope and with a "nerve monitor," this risk is extremely low. Leaving the inflammation untreated increases the risk of facial paralysis far more than surgery.
Can inflammation or cholesteatoma recur years later?
Cholesteatoma is a very persistent and insidious disease. Even if a single microscopic skin cell, invisible to the naked eye, is left behind during surgery, it can regrow years later. Therefore, it is extremely important for patients to have regular check-ups with an ENT specialist and for the inside of the ear to be cleaned after mastoidectomy surgery.
Take the first step towards an accurate diagnosis and personalized treatment.
For an initial consultation, examination, and personalized treatment plan, please contact us immediately.