Results of mastoiditis and mastoidectomy

Background: To analyse the late results of mastoiditis and operative intervention as well as critical classification of our own indication for operation we invited 298 operated patients to followup examinations. Patients and methods: 218 of 298 patients operated on, took part in these examinations. The follow-up time ranged between 2 and 18 years. Results: Altogether 311 ears were operated. Out of these, 69 patients had presented with classical mastoiditis and 242 with ''masked'' type. Microscopic examination of the operated ears showed that 284 (91.3%) had normal tympanic membranes, 13 (4.2%) had central tympanic membrane perforations with mucosal inflammation and 14 (4.5%) had residual retraction pockets or attic cholesteatomas. Hearing tests showed that 242 (77.8%) were normal, 56 (78%) had conductive deafness (with 32 of these ears having normal tympanic membranes), 10 (3.2%) had sensorineural deafness and 3 (1%) combined deafness. Schuller's radiographic views demonstrated compact mastoid processes in 48.7% of the reexamined ears and re-pneumatisation in 53%. Conclusion: The presented data of our re-examinations support our principle that prompt surgical treatment of all forms of mastoiditis is imperative.