Canaloplasty - exostosis surgery and narrowed auditory canal

Exostosis of the outer ear is a hyperostotic outgrowth of the bony ear canal. Such lesions are more common in swimmers and divers, and cold water is thought to cause inflammation and increased blood flow, which causes bone growth. The diagnosis is made by otoscopic examination and occasionally requires very gentle palpation with a blunt-tipped curette to rule out soft tissue masses. Exostoses are divided into mild, moderate, and severe, depending on the degree of occlusion.

The disease initially causes water retention in the ear after showering, bathing, or washing hair, and a feeling of ear congestion. With water retention and subsequent hydration of the skin of the ear canal, inflammation of the outer ear is becoming more common. Finally, in the final stage of the disease, complete occlusion of the auditory canal occurs with subsequent maximum (up to 60dB) conductive hearing loss.

The only solution is surgery - canaloplasty, which is performed under general anesthesia. Depending on the size of the changes themselves, exostoses can be removed through the ear canal or by an incision behind the ear. The skin of the auditory canal is lifted and preserved, and with a very fine drill, the bony protrusions are sanded and the auditory canal is expanded. In the case of bilateral exostoses, surgery on the other ear is usually performed after 6 months.