ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the rate of complications in patients who underwent blind sac closure of the external auditory canal for chronic middle ear disease. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective case review of 29 patients from combined public tertiary and private centers who underwent blind sac closure between 2000 and 2011. PATIENTS: All patients undergoing blind sac closure with minimum follow-up period of 1 year were included. There were 14 male and 15 female subjects with a mean age of 54 years at time of surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Complications were identified as major and minor complications, with particular attention to the rate of residual cholesteatoma. RESULTS: Thirty-two cases of blind sac closure were identified in 29 patients, with 3 patients undergoing bilateral procedures. We identified 8 major and 6 minor complications. Of the major complications, 3 were infections, and 5 involved residual cholesteatoma. Recurrent cholesteatoma was identified between 2 years 8 months and 6 years 6 months. CONCLUSION: Although blind sac closure of the external ear canal is a functionally useful procedure, it is associated with a significant rate of complications. In particular, we noted a higher rate of residual cholesteatoma in our series, when compared with the published literature. Appropriate patient selection to ensure long-term follow-up compliance for at least 8 years is essential for the detection of recurrent cholesteatoma.
