Surgical management of major congenital malformations of the ear

Surgical management of major congenital malformations of the ear is a difficult and complex procedure. The risk of damaging middle and inner ear structures because of their frequently aberrant location, the failure to keep a patent ear canal over the long term, and the difficulty in achieving a good hearing result all challenge the otologic surgeon. The purpose of this study was to analyze the results obtained with a surgical technique developed to prevent postoperative stenosis or total closure of the newly formed auditory meatus and to achieve at least serviceable hearing in the majority of cases. Emphasis is placed on the selection of surgical cases based on a classification that evaluates, through x-ray tomograms, the anatomic relation of the glenoid fossa of the temporomandibular joint to the middle ear space. Anatomic and functional results are presented. Comments are made in regard to different possibilities of reconstruction of the sound conducting mechanism.