What is Ear Canaloplasty?

• Ear Canaloplasty is a procedure to restore the regular width and contour of the external auditory canal.
• Ear Canaloplasty is a procedure to widen the external auditory canal, narrowed either congenitally or acquired.
• Ear canaloplasty is performed to alleviate ear blockage, infections, hearing loss.

What are the Conditions in which Canaloplasty is Indicated?

Auditory canal Atresia:

• Aural Atresia is the absence or closure of the external auditory ear canal.
• Atresia is Latin for the lack of an opening.
• The skull often seals off an Atretic ear with no canal being present.
• Atresia is usually unilateral (occurs on one ear only).
• Bilateral (occurs on both ears) Atresia is also seen in some cases.
• Conductive hearing loss occurs in Auricular Atresia.
• Ear Canaloplasty is used to open, closed external auditory canals caused due to Auricular Atresia.

Auditory Canal Stenosis:

• In some patients, the middle ear bones (Incus, stapes, and malleus) are malformed, causing narrowing of the ear canal, known as auditory canal stenosis.
• Ear Canaloplasty is performed to widen the narrowed ear canals in auditory canal stenosis.

Other reasons for performing Ear Canaloplasty are:

• To improve access to the middle ear and mastoid cavities during mastoid surgeries
• To remove bony growth, soft tissue growths and scar tissue occluding the external canal

Ear Osteoma:

• Ear Canaloplasty is performed to treat hearing loss due to the presence of osteoma (slow-growing benign tumor )

Ear exostosis:

• Exostosis is a bony overgrowth, which narrows the ear canals.
• Ear Canaloplasty is performed to improve the self-cleansing mechanism of the external canal in the presence of exostosis.

During Tympanoplasty:

Ear canaloplasty is performed to improve the visualization of the eardrum while performing Tympanoplasty.

Why do I Need Ear Canaloplasty?

When the external auditory canal becomes very narrow, wax and other debris accumulate in the ear canal, leading to repeated ear canal infections, particularly water exposure. If the ear canal gets completely closed, the blockage can cause hearing loss.

Ear canaloplasty widens the narrowed ear canals and prevents ear infections and further hearing loss.

What is the procedure for Ear canaloplasty?

• The operation is done under general anesthesia.
• A small incision is made just in front of the ear; this is closed at the end with one or two stitches.
• The operation usually takes between 1.5 to 2.5 hours.
• The surgeon will remove the bony lumps from your ear canal using a small chisel or a drill.
• After the surgery, you will have some packing in your ear. This packing will stay in for about two weeks until the post-operative appointment.
• You may also have a bandage around the ear and head, which can be removed in the first 24 hours.

What to Expect after Surgery?

RISKS:

• Redness around the wound.
• Increase in pain.
• Discharge from the wound or ear.

If you face any of the complications mentioned above, please contact your ENT surgeon as chances are that, you may have an infection, which may require treatment.

Also, contact your surgical team if you develop any other unusual symptoms, particularly during the two weeks following surgery.