Mastoid surgery

Summary

562 cases of mastoiditis admitted to the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in the last 12 years have been reviewed. Though the incidence of mastoiditis has been lowered and there are reports of recoveries of cases of acute mastoiditis now and then with sulpha and penicillin therapy, the place of surgery in mastoiditis is unchanged. These drugs supplement surgery but cannot replace it. Mastoiditis still happens to be a serious surgical complication and one meets with fatalities on and off inspite of intensive combined treatment with surgery, penicillin and sulpha drugs.

Endaural approach and the use of magnifying loupe and the use of dental burrs have been further important additions in the progress of temporal bone surgery. In fact no fenestration surgery is possible without them. Primary closure after operations for acute mastoiditis and the use of skin grafts in chronic mastoid and fenestration operation, has shortened the postoperative healing time to a considerable extent and have thus enabled the patients to return to their work in 2 or 3 weeks time after the operation. Acute mastoiditis with a subperiosteal abscess is not at all of uncommon occurrence in our country. Over 50 per cent, of cases were operated for acute mastoiditis.