EN-BLOC MASTOIDECTOMY TO AVOID POSTOPERATIVE RETROAURICULAR DEFORMITYIN THE TRANSPETROSAL APPROACH

The authors describe a surgical technique to avoid postoperative retro auricular deformity following the transpetrosal approach. After removi ng a one-piece temporal and suboccipital bone flap, the mastoid proces s is cut obliquely by using a sagittal saw towards an imaginary line d rawn from the point on the petrous ridge just lateral to the arcuate e minence to the burr hole opened medial to the occipital groove. This t echnique allows en bloc removal of the mastoid process without resulti ng bone defects. Three patients who were treated with this technique a nd followed up for more than 1 year showed good cosmetic results with no complications including cerebrospinal fluid leakage. We believe thi s en bloc mastoidectomy offers a definite advantage in regard to avoid postoperative retroauricular deformity. Journal of Clinical Neuroscie nce (1998) 5(4), 432-433 (C) Harcourt Brace & Co. Ltd 1998