Blind sac closure of the external auditory canal for chronic middle ear disease

To determine the rate of complications in patients who underwent blind sac closure of the external auditory canal for chronic middle ear disease.

Retrospective case review of 29 patients from combined public tertiary and private centers who underwent blind sac closure between 2000 and 2011.

All patients undergoing blind sac closure with minimum follow-up period of 1 year were included. There were 14 male and 15 female subjects with a mean age of 54 years at time of surgery.

Complications were identified as major and minor complications, with particular attention to the rate of residual cholesteatoma.

Thirty-two cases of blind sac closure were identified in 29 patients, with 3 patients undergoing bilateral procedures. We identified 8 major and 6 minor complications. Of the major complications, 3 were infections, and 5 involved residual cholesteatoma. Recurrent cholesteatoma was identified between 2 years 8 months and 6 years 6 months.

Although blind sac closure of the external ear canal is a functionally useful procedure, it is associated with a significant rate of complications. In particular, we noted a higher rate of residual cholesteatoma in our series, when compared with the published literature. Appropriate patient selection to ensure long-term follow-up compliance for at least 8 years is essential for the detection of recurrent cholesteatoma.