IS A COMMUNITY-BASED MASTOID MICROSUCTION SERVICE FEASIBLE - THE AUDIT OF A PILOT PROJECT

Patients who have had a mastoidectomy form a considerable long-term fo llow-up commitment to their local ENT Department. A community-based ma stoid aural toilet pilot project run by a GP is described using an ope rating microscope and suction apparatus in his surgery. To obtain the necessary information about community treatment, an audit was performe d of all mastoidectomy patients from a large general practice in Ports mouth: 57 mastoidectomy patients were reviewed. During the project it was possible to transfer to the community microsuction project the lon g-term care of most of their mastoidectomy patients who were attending the hospital ENT outpatient clinic.