Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Comparative Study
. 2008 May;138(5):672-8.
doi: 10.1016/j.otohns.2008.01.023.

External auditory exostoses: evaluation and treatment

John W House  1 , Eric P Wilkinson
Affiliations
Comparative Study

External auditory exostoses: evaluation and treatment

John W House et al. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2008 May.

Abstract

Objective: To determine (1) if external auditory exostosis (EAE) severity in a surgical exostosis population differs between ears and (2) the incidence of complications from postauricular canalplasty for EAE.

Study design: A retrospective review.

Subjects and methods: Three hundred twenty-seven patients (401 ears) underwent drill canalplasty for EAE from 1990 to 2006. EAE severity was graded, and air and bone thresholds were used to evaluate hearing changes.

Results: There were no significant differences in surgery rate or severity between right and left ears (71% grade 3 in both ears), with 95 percent grade 3 in operated ears. Prolonged healing occurred in 4.5 percent, with 1 TM perforation (0.2%). Sensorineural hearing at 4 kHz worsened slightly (mean change = 3.7 dB, P < or = 0.001), with 4.8 percent worsening >15 dB (maximum 30 dB), but sensorineural bone average was unchanged (mean = 0.2 dB). EAE recurred in 8 of 91 ears with long-term follow-up, occurring up to 15 years postsurgery.

Conclusions: EAE severity in surgical patients does not differ between right and left ears. Drill canalplasty via the postauricular approach minimizes complications.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

Publication types