Re: Radical Mastoidectomy

September 5, 2002

Hi,

I had the radical mastoidectomy procedure done about 15 years ago. I had an egg sized lump behind my ear from backed up drainage and nearly died. The surgery didn't hurt very much and I was back in school within a few weeks. I never suffered from vertigo or anything. Every once in a while my ear would bleed and of course I'm nearly deaf in that ear. The doctor took out all but one of my hearing bones. It was a lengthy procedure. The scar gradually faded and is hid by my hair. The biggest problem I've had is with 'drainage' or weeping. After many years I sought out a new doctor and he is clearing it up with BorAlcohol drops...youch!

If I can answer any specific questions please ask away.

Regards,

September 5, 2002

Hi

I had a Modified Radical Mastoidectomy in May this year. That is really what a Canal Wall Down is. It is more extensive as they take down the posterior wall in your middle ear. That is the separation between your middle ear and your mastoid area. They ground down the mastoid and you are left with a "mastoid bowl", and it is not as easy for c-toma to grow here, and with this procedure, they also create a larger ear canal, with an opening to this mastoid bowl, so they can clean it regularly to ensure you never get c-toma again... This procedure pretty much eliminates recurrent c-toma for most people, but it will still recur in some. In the procedure you had before the Canal Wall Up, they can't go in to clean the mastoid/middle ear because there is still a wall between the mastoid and the middle ear. Therefore there is greater chance for regrowth, like what happened in your case.

Lynn

radical mastoidectomy

> Hi all-> > I saw the doctor today and he says I need a radical> mastoidectomy. The other doctor I'm seeing on the sly> said he wanted to do a canal wall up surgery but> that's what this doctor said I had for the first> surgery and it failed. Not sure what to think. Has> anyone had this type of surgery? > > > > __________________________________________________>

September 6, 2002

:

I had a radical mastoidectomy when I was 7 years old and have not had a problem since (I'm 32 now). I did have another surgery when I was 18, and that was just to widen my ear canal for easier cleaning and to put in a Xomed audiant (bone conductor hearing aid). The only thing I have to make sure to do is go in and get my ear cleaned annually (every six months is better).

Good luck with everything.

Isley

September 6, 2002

I nearly died because my parents waited too long (the doctor wanted to wait for some reason) to have the surgery. I was told that the tumor had eaten into the bone and was nearly to the brain. I remember going to the hospital for another MRI and then going to surgery the next morning. It was kind of scary for me, because I'd overheard the doctor in his office tell my parents the odds were against me.

I've had two surgeries since then, but by I think I've come through well. I avoided the canal-widenening procedure, for cosmetic purposes, and my new doctor cleans my ear just fine. Still get dizzy and vomit nearly every time though.

I read some of Lynns posts. Very informative.

Just remember to ask questions and if you don't get an answer you understand ask your doctor to explain it to you better and that if he doesn't you'll find a doctor who will.

I can't stand doctors who are too "busy" to answer questions and ease fears/concerns. They have no business in a field where compassion is just as important and skill.

Just my 2 cents. =)

September 6, 2002

Yikes, you nearly died?! Mmmmm..maybe I shouldn't wait

too long. I'm trying to wait until my insurance

switches in January but I don't know...what does a

radical mastoidectomy involve? Glad you are doing much

better!!

__________________________________________________

September 6, 2002

Thanks !

__________________________________________________

September 6, 2002

Thanks for the info! No one has said anything about me

waiting too long. I'm hoping I can wait it out till

January but your story scared me and I'm an adult so

I'm responsible for my health. Maybe I am being silly

in waiting : (

__________________________________________________

September 6, 2002

Geez , sounds like you've been through it! Glad to hear the outcome has been good despite your doctor deciding to wait a bit too long ... as for your final comment :

"I can't stand doctors who are too "busy" to answer questions and ease fears/concerns. They have no business in a field where compassion is just as important and skill. Just my 2 cents. =)"

I couldn't agree with you more!

Wishing you wellness!

God Bless,

Dianne

September 7, 2002

In a message dated 09/06/2002 5:42:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time, jgarrett02@... writes:

I avoided the canal-widenening procedure, for cosmetic purposes

Hello , hello all. The above statement really intrigued me - was this Canal Wall Down surgery? Without the widened canal/meatoplasty?

Is this possible? How would they access for cleaning? If anyone knows anything about CWD without meatoplasty I'd be very interested.

Dianne, I'm glad is coming through this well. You are describing a pretty normal recovery and that's great. The ear feeling wierd is due to the nerves they sever when they do the incision, & the packing, & the trauma. It gets better. 's hearing may very well get better, too, you just won't know the answer to that for several weeks until all the packing is gone. You can't hear a blessed thing with that gunk in the way.

September 7, 2002

In a message dated 9/7/2002 8:07:34 AM US Eastern Standard Time, rlockw1092@... writes:

Hello , hello all. The above statement really intrigued me - was this Canal Wall Down surgery? Without the widened canal/meatoplasty?

I'm not sure what the actual medical terminology for this procedure is. Basically the doctor wanted to widen the entrance to the canal to facilitate easier cleaning. My new doctor said that this is not necessary and was probably an attempt at a "car payment" procedure.

Regards,

September 7, 2002

In a message dated 09/07/2002 10:49:11 AM Eastern Daylight Time, jgarrett02@... writes:

Basically the doctor wanted to widen the entrance to the canal to facilitate easier cleaning

Thank you for your response, . They call that procedure a meatoplasty & , to the best of my knowledge, it is done pretty routinely with the Canal Wall Down procedure to get rid of cholesteatoma. Canal Wall Down leaves a cavity which requires periodic cleaning, & the wider canal allows access for this.

Did you just say no to it? Does anyone out there have Canal Wall Down with the ear canal in its natural state? Thanks.

September 7, 2002

.....and was probably an attempt at a "car payment" procedure.

Sorry - this may be intelligible to Americans. Can you explain it for the rest of us?

Phil

September 7, 2002

In a message dated 9/7/2002 1:09:02 PM US Eastern Standard Time, rlockw1092@... writes:

They call that procedure a meatoplasty & , to the best of my knowledge, it is done pretty routinely with the Canal Wall Down procedure to get rid of cholesteatoma. Canal Wall Down leaves a cavity which requires periodic cleaning, & the wider canal allows access for this.

Did you just say no to it? Does anyone out there have Canal Wall Down with the ear canal in its natural state? Thanks.

Yes, after having so many surgeries as a child I elected to not have this procedure done as a teenager. My ear canal is wide enough already and my current doctor said he can clean it easily. I think it would make my ear look canal look abnormal and I do not wish to draw attention to it. I'm very self-concious about having to occaisionally clean ear drainage with a kleenex and do not wish an "eye-attracting-black-hole" for an ear canal opening. lol, if that makes sense.

"car payment" procedure. Allow me to explain this. With the advent of corporate health insurance there has been and always will be those who seek to exploit the inherit weaknesses within the system. Procedures that are not necessarily needed are often performed simply so the physician can bill the claim. This is often jokingly referred to as a doctors BMW payment, kids college fund, etc... believe me, these things happen often enough, and there have been many many news articles about fraudulent claims and needless procedures.

Regards,

September 7, 2002

In a message dated 09/07/2002 8:07:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time, cameragirl8@... writes:

What do you mean cosmetic purposes? What do they do to

the ear?

If you click on this link: eMedicine - Cholesteatoma : Article by S Roland, MD & scroll to the bottom of the article (it's a great article) there is a photo of an ear with a meatoplasty.

For those of you out there who like the nitty gritty technical aspects of surgery, I came across a quirky link: MEI: Otologic Pearls while searching on meatoplasty. It's like a list of helpful technical hints for ear surgeons. Again, this is for those with a stomach for the details of ear surgery.

September 7, 2002

In a message dated 9/7/2002 7:51:14 PM US Eastern Standard Time, rlockw1092@... writes:

In a message dated 09/07/2002 8:07:29 PM Eastern Daylight Time, cameragirl8@... writes:

What do you mean cosmetic purposes? What do they do to

the ear?

If you click on this link: eMedicine - Cholesteatoma : Article by S Roland, MD & scroll to the bottom of the article (it's a great article) there is a photo of an ear with a meatoplasty.

For those of you out there who like the nitty gritty technical aspects of surgery, I came across a quirky link: MEI: Otologic Pearls while searching on meatoplasty. It's like a list of helpful technical hints for ear surgeons. Again, this is for those with a stomach for the details of ear surgery.

See how ugly this is? I feel so sorry for this lady. At least a female can wear long hair and cover her ears and still look normal. You know what I'm saying, we who deal with these things don't think a second thought, but any of us who've had this type of surgery would wish to be be "gawked" at by curious onlookers.

September 7, 2002

wouldn't wish to be gawked at. sorry about the poor wording. I'm going on two hours sleep for the last two days.

Regards,

I don't mean to be insensitive. I just don't believe this surgery would be cosmetically appealing to my taste or sensitivities. They're very delicate, don't you know! =)

September 7, 2002

--- rlockw1092@... wrote:

> In a message dated 09/06/2002 5:42:30 PM Eastern

> Daylight Time,

> jgarrett02@... writes:

>

> > I avoided the canal-widenening procedure, for

> cosmetic purposes

What do you mean cosmetic purposes? What do they do to

the ear?

__________________________________________________

September 7, 2002

I really don't see what's so ugly about the ear.

It just looks like it has a bigger hole that's all! Believe me ive seen funnier ears! If the surgery works its worth it to me.

My ear stuck out a bit right after surgery and that kind of had me a little concerned but it went back into place after about two weeks. No one has ever stared at me or even noticed.

September 7, 2002

Hi ,

Thanks for the input ... it sure would be great if her hearing did improve, right now, it is worse, but I suppose that can be expected. I think she is prepared for anything at this point ... and she is not expecting an improvement -- so if there is one, it will be icing on the cake! I am content to know that she is out of danger for the time. (I say that realizing that I am not the one who has to deal with not hearing out of one ear! She may not be quite so content!) I know that getting her hearing back is a priority ... but I was most frightened by the potential dangers that the c-toma posed to her overall health. Right now, I just want to see her pain diminish and her back up and around, she not doing too badly, but she isn't bouncing right back either. She was hoping to go right back to school (like in a couple of days ...) Oh well, best laid plans. I told her she might have to stay down for a week or two, looks like that is going to be closer to the case!

Take care.

Dianne

Dianne, I'm glad is coming through this well. You are describing a pretty normal recovery and that's great. The ear feeling wierd is due to the nerves they sever when they do the incision, & the packing, & the trauma. It gets better. 's hearing may very well get better, too, you just won't know the answer to that for several weeks until all the packing is gone. You can't hear a blessed thing with that gunk in the way.

September 9, 2002

I agree with so I just had to comment on this one. The picture in that article is of an extremly large meatoplasty. Both my husbands doctor and his audiologist say they have never done/seen one so big, but I don't notice, even when I am looking at his ear. Besides, what are the choices?

Michele

karstebecker@... wrote:

I really don't see what's so ugly about the ear. It just looks like it has a bigger hole that's all! Believe me ive seen funnier ears! If the surgery works its worth it to me. My ear stuck out a bit right after surgery and that kind of had me a little concerned but it went back into place after about two weeks. No one has ever stared at me or even noticed.

September 9, 2002

:

I had a radical mastoidectomy at age 7, and at age 18 I had the canaloplasty/meatoplasty. I have to tell you, there is not a "black hole" on the side of my head. All that was done was "widening" of the ear canal for easier cleaning. I also have to tell you that since age 18 (I'm 32 now) I have not had ONE ear infection, whereas before that I would get them constantly (discharge with a foul odor and burning my skin). Yes, it is a little wider, but I don't feel people notice it (at least they haven't told me so). I do wear my hair back quite a bit, and if it was that noticeable my husband would have said something (he's brutally honest at times). If your problem is infection, I highly recommend this procedure. If you can live with it, great!! Just one less surgery!

Good luck with everything and welcome to the group!!

Isley

October 22, 2002

At 02:20 AM 10/22/2002 +0000, you wrote:

>went for my post op today. the ENT explained to me that I had a

>radical mastoidectomy. He also explained that He could not remove

>all of the cholesteatoma. I guess the polyp was very close to a

>important bone and he felt that it would not be a good idea to probe

>for it. He was very surprised by the size of it considering I didn't

>have any of symptoms except fullness. I will need to go back in two

>weeks to remove sutures.

Some of us have huge, highly invasive c-tomas with hardly any (apparent)

symptoms. Mine had totally enveloped my chordae tympanum (sp?) nerve,

which had to be removed along with the cholesteatoma. My only symptoms

were a slight metallic taste in my mouth, slight difficulty hearing and a

feeling of fullness. I also had chronic ear infections, but that was

nothing new to me. Some don't even notice that much of a change in hearing

because their cholesteatoma acts as a " bridge " hearing conductor to the

inner ear even after it destroys all of the tiny hearing bones (ossicles).

>The only care that I need to do on my op ear is keep a vaseline

>moisten cottonball in the ear at all time. When I shower or wash my

>hair I should put vaseline on the outside of the cottonball and put

>vaseline on my suture line. Does this sound okay? He didn't give me

>any restrictions, only do what i feel " comfortable doing " . I could

>drive a car, go back to work. I thought I was going to cry, GO BACK

>TO WORK! I was like I don't think so, not now and then he again said

>whatever you feel comfortable with. I have never taken time off for

>illness and have acumulated alot of sick time a well as vacation

>time, i don't want to go back until I know that I can do my job at

>least 95% without help from anyone. (I'm a geri nurse) I'm very

>nervous about going back until I feel more like myself. I have lead

>feet and my gait is very strange feeling. I just don't seem to be as

>quick as I should be. I'm still feeling a little off with my

>vision. Am I being unreasonable taking three weeks off? My next

>appt is in two weeks to remove sutures.

Goodness, if you don't feel comfortable, don't go back to work. He said

comfortable, right? You don't want to endanger your patients by possibly

tripping or falling on them.

>I know this is long but I have afew more questions? Is it normal to

>have a earlobe to be numb. I have heard that the back of the ear can

>be but the earlobe itself. It feels like the your chin after getting

>novocaine at the dentist. I also wonder about the swishing pulsation

>I hear when everything is quiet sometimes when it not. I wanted to

>ask but totally forgot to ask the doctor. Again sorry for it being

>long

Don't apologize for long posts. We're here to listen to anything you want

to get out. That's what this list is for--to vent, ask questions, get

information, etc. without worrying about asking too many things, talking

too much, complaining, whatever. Numb patches are normal. It may take a

while for the nerves that were cut during surgery to heal and transmit

sensation again. That noise you hear is your carotid artery pulsing. It

will probably decrease when your swelling goes down. I think the swelling

acts as some sort of sound conductor.

Glad that you found us, Lulu. Sorry that you need to be here.

Diane

October 22, 2002

lulu,

Remember that you need to take it easy at home as well! I tore my ear canal open two weeks after surgery because i was pulling laundry out of the washing machine!!!! OOOOUUUUCCCHHHH! My doc. told me that i dont have to do laundry now for at least a year! (right!) So make sure you realy take it easy.

October 22, 2002

Hi LuLu,

Glad to hear you are doing ok.

Since you are a nurse I don't think 3 weeks in unreasonable. I was off one

week and should have been off 2 and I'm a secretary. So 3 sounds fine since

your work is more physically demanding.

It is normal for your ear to be numb. Mine was more the top of the ear -

but everyone is different. The feeling should return in time, not

necessarily quickly.

As for that swishing sound, it is probably your pulse you are hearing. I'm

glad you only hear it when you are quiet. For most people that goes away as

they heal. Mine did get less frequent as I healed but I still hear it off

and on. Most often when I am trying to go to sleep - figures!

Eat well and don't over tax yourself and you will heal right up in to time!

Jane

>From: " gamesaddict1 " <tab01886@...>

>Reply-cholesteatoma

>cholesteatoma

>Subject: radical mastoidectomy

>Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2002 02:20:09 -0000