RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE@#To report the experience with canalplasty during the operation of overlay tympanoplasty.@*METHOD@#A retrospective review was performed on 56 patients (59 ears) that underwent tympanoplasty and canalplasty (part with intact canal wall mastoidectomy). Transcanal and postauricular incisions were made, and the posterior canal skin flap was elevated and fixed with retractor, while the anterior flap was freed. A drill was used to remove the anterior and inferior bone bulges and the adjacent bone to expose the tympanic sulcus and annulus adequately, and the epithelium of tympanic membrane remnant was removed thoroughly. After the eradication of the middle ear disease, temporal fascia was used as an overlay graft and the canal skin was replaced, and the gel-foam soaked in antibiotic and Dexamethasone solution was used to compress the canal. The patients began to use ear drops 1 week after surgery, and the gelfoam in canal lasted for 4-6 weeks.@*RESULT@#Follow-up was conducted for 0.5-3.5 years respectively, all patients gained stage I incision cure, the external auditory canal was wide and tympanic membrane gained a good shape, the complications of skin flap necrosis, external canal stenosis and cholesteatoma pearl were not occurred.@*CONCLUSION@#Canalplasty was the necessary procedure in the operation of overlay tympanoplasty which could conduce to de-epithelization of the membrane, placement of fascia and prevention of the occurrence of cholesteatoma pearl.