Novel Therapeutic Meatoplasty Technique

Meatoplasty is a surgical procedure that enlarges the external auditory canal opening (external meatus) to improve ventilation and drainage of the ear canal. Traditionally, it is accompanied by canal-wall-down mastoidectomy, yet many patients experience refractory recurrent otorrhea without mastoid or middle-ear pathology, warranting such extensive surgery. In addition, even in cases of middle ear disease, if conservative treatment such as systemic or topical antibiotics and repeated ear dressings fails to control inflammation, recurrent otorrhea can persist. In these situations, inadequate canal ventilation and a narrow meatal caliber often serve as underlying causes of persistent otorrhea and infection. By widening the meatus, meatoplasty enhances airflow, facilitates self-cleaning, and promotes resolution of moist, infected debris, regardless of whether the underlying pathology is limited to the external canal or shared with the middle ear. In this article, we would like to introduce a simple therapeutic meatoplasty that can be performed under local anesthesia to control refractory recurrent otorrhea.