A mastoidectomy is a procedure performed to remove the mastoid air cells,[1] air bubbles in the skull, near the inner ears. This can be done as part of treatment for mastoiditis, chronic suppurative otitis media or cholesteatoma.[2] In addition, it is sometimes performed as part of other procedures (cochlear implant) or for access to the middle ear. There are classically 5 different types of mastoidectomy:[citation needed]
Mastoidectomy | |
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Specialty | otolaryngology |
In Radical and Modified Mastoidectomy the mastoid and middle ear cavities are exteriorized so as not to give the chance for the infection or the cholesteatoma to spread into the middle cranial fossa. Since the cavities are exteriorized, further inspection and cleaning could be done regularly.[citation needed]
Since the development of endoscopic transcanal ear surgery pioneered by Professor Tarabichi[3] there has been a significant decrease in the use of this procedure.