Canalplasty in Dallas, Fort Worth, Frisco, TX
What is the ear canal?
The ear canal is part of the external ear. It is a skin-lined canal that funnels sound waves to the eardrum. The eardrum sits at the end of the ear canal.
The ear canal has 2 parts. The outer portion is called the cartilaginous canal. The skin is thicker and mobile. The inner portion is called the bony canal. The skin is thin and immobile.
When is surgery on the ear canal needed?
The ear canal may need to be enlarged for a variety of reasons. Surgery on the ear canal to make it wider is called canalplasty. Canalplasty is a surgical technique that is usually indicated to optimize other ear surgeries. It may be coupled with mastoidectomy to optimize cholesteatoma surgery or with tympanoplasty to facilitate graft placement.
When used in combination with mastoidectomy for cholesteatoma treatment, the goal is to facilitate access to a mastoid cavity. When cholesteatoma removal results in the creation of a mastoid cavity for complete removal, the cartilaginous canal must be made wider so that the neurotologist can see into the entire mastoid cavity at subsequent office visits. This is also known as meatoplasty.
Other times a narrow bony canal hinders eardrum reconstruction. The bony canal must be made larger to ensure proper graft placement and healing, optimizing the reconstructed eardrum result.
Another indication for canalplasty is removal of bony growths like osteomas or exostoses. These growths may narrow the ear canal. In extreme cases, the hearing is affected or ear wax buildup results in impaction. These are indications that the bony growth needs to be removed. Otherwise, surgery can be avoided.
Traumatic injury to the ear canal can cause scarring and stenosis of the ear canal. As above, when hearing is affected, cerumen impaction is problematic, or traumatic cholesteatoma occurs, canalplasty is indicated.