Posterior canal wall atrophy after intact canal wall tympanoplasty

The present study investigates the occurrence of asymptomatic posterior canal wall breakdowns following intact canal wall tympanoplasty (ICWT) with mastoidectomy. Twenty-four ears out of 501 (4.8%) presented with a posterior canal wall atrophy. A partial defect was found in 15 ears (62.5%), while a subtotal or total atrophy occurred in the remaining nine ears (37.5%). Posterior wall atrophy could be considered among ICWT complications during follow-up visits, but, according to our investigation, its incidence remains low.