[History of endaural surgery]

History of the endaural mastoid surgery and the development of this approach to the temporal bone begins with the first paracentesis, which is the oldest endaural operation of the middle ear. Prior to the invention of the ear mirror paracentesis was a difficult operation. In 1885 Kessel reported endaural radical ear surgery. A great inconvenience is the narrow operative field within the external auditory meatus. It influenced the surgeon to extend the incision posteriorly into the auricle. In 1930 Heermann H. described antero-superior extracartilaginous endaural incision.