Ear Surgery for Pets

Ear Canal Ablation and Bulla Osteotomy

Ear Canal Ablation involves removing the entire ear canal and ear drum. The ear canal is a tube going vertically and horizontally.

The warm dark, moist ear canal is ideal for growing bacteria and yeast. Ear canal infections are painful and can result in hearing loss when the ear drum is damaged. Ear Canal Ablation is indicated when treatment of chronic ear canal infection is unsuccessful. The benefits of Ear Canal Ablation are 1.) physically removing infected tissue, 2.) alleviating the source of chronic pain, and 3.) eliminating the need and expense of continually medicating the ear. Without surgery, infection destroys the ear drum and structures of the middle and inner ear. Deep infections can result in neurologic signs such as head tilt and loss of balance.

The middle ear is the part of the ear deeper than the ear drum. The middle ear is surrounded by bone shaped like a balloon called a Bulla. When the middle ear is infected, a Bulla Osteotomy is necessary. A Bulla Osteotomy involves opening the bottom of the boney balloon which houses the structures of the middle ear. A drainage tube is placed to allow infection to exit by gravity.

Preoperative radiographs are important to evaluate the Bulla and bone surrounding the ear for signs of infection and cancer. Bacterial culture and biopsy of the deep ear tissue are necessary for determining postoperative medication and prognosis. Hearing has usually been lost from chronic infection prior to surgery. If hearing has not been lost, hearing may be lost following an Ear Canal Ablation and Bulla Osteotomy. Eyelid and lip drooping postoperatively are caused by facial nerve paralysis and typically resolve.