A universally held axiom in otologic surgery is that a widely patent external auditory canal is essential for the postoperative success of canal wall down mastoid surgery. A sufficiently large meatus facilitates postoperative office evaluation and debridement of the mastoid cavity. A large meatoplasty supports the rapid epithelialization and overall exteriorization of mastoid bowl size. Failure to perform an adequate meatoplasty may lead to cholesteatoma formation, chronic secretion, and postoperative canal stenosis.
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References
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