Combined flap of postauricular musculo-periosteal and ear canal skin flap with bone paté for mastoid obliteration and canal wall down mastoidectomy]

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the long-term outcome and clinical value of modified radical mastoidectomy with mastoid obliteration using pedicled combined flap of postauricular musculo-periosteal and ear canal skin flap in conjunction with bone paté. METHODS: During 2 years from April 2003 to March 2005, 71 otitis media patients (71 ears) with cholesteatoma were subjected to this kind of operation. RESULTS: The follow-up period was more than 2 years. The period of complete reepithelialization ranged from 3 weeks to 1.5 months, with the mean period of 29 days. All of the patients, treated by the described method of operation had a dry, disease-free mastoid of ear. CONCLUSIONS: Mastoid obliteration with pedicled combined flap of postauricular musculo-periosteal and ear canal skin flap in conjunction with bone paté, had the advantages as follows: (1) Healing of the mastoid cavity in a short time. (2) Better reepithelialization of the obliterated mastoid cavity. (3) No need of skin grafting in the mastoid cavity. (4) High rate of the dry ear in postoperation. (5) nearly no need of the mastoid cavity cleaning postoperatively.