Butterfly tragal cartilage for repair of focal canal wall defects.

BACKGROUND

Meato-mastoid fistula is a connection between the external auditory canal and the mastoid cavity. It may be iatrogenic or pathological. The repair of these focal canal wall defects is necessary to prevent retraction pockets or sequential cholesteatoma and attain relief from otorrhoea.

AIM/

OBJECTIVE

To study the effectiveness of an innovative technique for repair of meato-mastoid fistula (less than or equal to 10mm in size) in the bony external auditory canal.

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

We performed a retrospective review of 5 surgeries performed in our hospital between January 2017 and December 2017 for the repair of posterior bony canal wall defects. Active ear disease was ruled out before the repair. We used full-thickness butterfly tragal cartilage graft for the repair of these fistulae. All our surgeries were endoscopic and sutureless.

RESULTS

The butterfly tragal cartilage graft was in situ at the repair site and viable on examination at 2 years follow-up, in all our cases.

CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE: Small posterior canal wall defects can be successfully repaired using this technique. The method is minimally invasive and cosmetic, with good patient compliance. The curling property of the cartilage graft is exploited effectively in this method of repair.