Mastoid Obliteration Using Autologous Bone Dust Following Canal Wall Down Mastoidectomy

Objective: To describe a technique for mastoid obliteration following canal wall down (CWD) mastoidectomy for chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma, and review its early results in producing a dry, safe ear, and a small mastoid cavity. Study Design: Retrospective review. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Patients: Forty-three consecutive CWD procedures using bone dust obliteration for chronic otitis media. Intervention: All patients underwent CWD mastoidectomy and, if indicated, concurrent tympanoplasty and ossicular chain reconstruction. Bone dust harvested from healthy mastoid cortex was used to obliterate selected portions of the tympanomastoid defect. Temporalis fascia and/or an inferiorly-based periosteal flap were used for coverage of the bone dust. Main Outcome Measures: Postoperative infection, need for mastoid bowl cleaning, incidence of recurrent cholesteatoma, need for revision surgical intervention. Results: At mean follow-up of 29 months, 95% of ears have remained dry and safe since mastoid obliteration, with a lack of symptoms and no evidence of recurrent disease. Cholesteatoma recurrence rate was 5%. Postoperative otorrhea, while rare, was managed successfully with topical medication in all affected patients. Clinical, radiographic, and surgical appearance of grafted bone dust suggests good take with long-term viability. Conclusions: The described technique used for mastoid obliteration using autologous bone dust and cartilage is simple, effective, and safe to reduce the size of the mastoid cavity in patients undergoing CWD mastoidectomy. It might help to reduce morbidity by improving the surgeon's control over mastoid bowl size and shape.