Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2026
Endolymphatic Duct Blockage as a Surgical Treatment Option for Ménière's Disease
Published on: April 28, 2023
Mastoidectomy in the elderly
Lela Migirov1, Sergei Weissburd, Michael Wolf
1Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel. migirovl@gmail.com
Objective:
To present conditions requiring mastoid surgery in elderly patients.
Study Design:
Retrospective.
Results:
Twenty-seven patients (aged 65-90 years) who underwent mastoidectomy were enrolled. The etiologies included chronic otitis media (COM) with (n = 16) or without (n = 5) cholesteatoma, otogenic meningitis and malignant otitis externa (MOE; n = 3 each). Urgent mastoidectomy was indicated for 4 intracranial complications (3 meningitis and 1 brain abscess) and 14 extracranial complications of acute/COM or MOE (7 patients with labyrinthitis and 7 patients with facial nerve, FN, paralysis). There was only partial improvement in FN function in only 1 of 7 patients with FN paralysis. Two patients lost their hearing as a result of a surgical intervention for cholesteatoma. One patient was reoperated for recurrent cholesteatoma 15 months after the initial mastoid surgery. Chronic otorrhea complicated the postoperative course in 2 patients.
Conclusion:
Mastoidectomy for geriatric patients is mostly urgent surgery for complications of acute/COM or MOE.
Insights
Mastoid surgery in elderly patients is often urgent, primarily for complications of chronic otitis media (COM) or malignant otitis externa (MOE). These conditions frequently involve serious issues like meningitis or facial nerve paralysis.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Geriatric Medicine
- Surgical Outcomes
Background:
- Mastoid surgery indications in elderly patients are not well-defined.
- Geriatric populations may have unique challenges and outcomes following otologic surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline the specific conditions that necessitate mastoid surgery in patients aged 65 and older.
- To analyze the etiologies and outcomes of mastoidectomy in a geriatric cohort.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of patients aged 65-90 who underwent mastoidectomy.
- Analysis of surgical indications, diagnoses, and postoperative complications.
Main Results:
- Twenty-seven elderly patients underwent mastoidectomy for chronic otitis media (COM) with or without cholesteatoma, otogenic meningitis, or malignant otitis externa (MOE).
- Urgent surgery was required for intracranial (meningitis, brain abscess) and extracranial complications (labyrinthitis, facial nerve paralysis).
- Outcomes were mixed, with limited facial nerve function recovery and instances of hearing loss, recurrent cholesteatoma, and chronic otorrhea.
Conclusions:
- Mastoidectomy in geriatric patients is predominantly an urgent procedure driven by complications of acute/COM or MOE.
- The findings highlight the critical need for timely surgical intervention in elderly patients with severe otologic conditions.
More Related Videos
07:06Endaural Endoscopic Atticoantrotomy (Retrograde Mastoidectomy) using a Constant Suction Bone-drilling Technique
Published on: May 23, 2021
03:49Enhanced Cochlear Coverage and Hearing Preservation in High-Frequency Hearing Loss via Electric Acoustic Stimulation with Longer Electrode
Published on: October 11, 2024