[Complete and persistent cleansing: a major requirement for epitympanic surgeries].

Because in chronic purulent epitympanitis pyodestruction affects bone tissues with resultant chronic osteomyelitis of the temporal bone it is thought necessary to remove radically all the foci of chronic inflammation and to open all the compartments of the middle ear in any operation for epitympanitis. This is also relevant to operations performed to create a small trepanation cavity or new sound conduction system.