A technique for the reconstruction of the posterior canal wall and mastoid obliteration in radical cavity surgery.

The open technique in cholesteatoma surgery has, besides a higher security concerning the recurrence of disease, some disadvantages: lifelong care for the cavity, often discharging granulations, and vestibular vertigo due to the lack of labyrinthine protection. Most of the disadvantages can be avoided by the obliteration of the mastoid cavity, for which many different techniques have been described in literature. The authors recommend a new method: the reconstruction of the posterior canal wall using autograft conchal cartilage and the obliteration of the mastoid cavity with hydroxyapatite granulate. The technique can be used for the treatment of old cavities as well as for one-stage surgery. The results of 25 cases are reported. Due to the elevation of the tympanic membrane on a nearly physiologic level and suitable tympanoplastic procedures an air-bone gap of less than 30 dB can be reached in more than 70%.