Mastoid Surgery Video (Basic to Radical Mastoidectomy)

This video demonstrates what mastoid surgery is. Both animation and actual surgery are shown to illustrate how a basic mastoidectomy to radical mastoidectomy is performed. This type of extensive surgery is usually done whenever extensive ear disease is present, whether infection or cholesteatoma.

The video also demonstrates why such surgery has a risk of:

• facial paralysis since the facial nerve does through this bone.
• taste loss/change since the chorda tympani nerve (responsible for taste) goes through this bone.
• hemorrhage since the jugular vein goes through this bone
• brain fluid leakage out the ear since the brain is located right above this bone
• dizziness since the inner ear balance system (semicircular canals) are located within this bone
• etc. 

This video was created in collaboration with Dr. Ashkan Monfared who is an Associate Professor of Surgery and Neurosurgery, Director of Otology and Neurotology at George Washington University Medical Center.