Meatoplasty

Meatoplasty (from the Latin meatoplastica, meatus — “passage”) is a surgical procedure performed to widen or reconstruct the external auditory canal. The primary objective of this intervention is to create a wide and stable ear canal to ensure proper ventilation, drainage, and visualization of the tympanic membrane and deeper structures of the middle ear.

This procedure is performed to correct stenosis (narrowing) of the auditory canal, which may be either congenital or acquired. Stenosis disrupts the ear’s natural self-cleaning mechanisms, leading to the accumulation of cerumen and epidermal debris, which in turn provokes recurrent otitis externa and conductive hearing loss.

Indications for Tonsillectomy

Meatoplasty may be performed as a standalone procedure or as part of a more complex otologic surgery. Primary indications include:

• Congenital stenosis or atresia: An abnormally narrow or completely occluded auditory canal.
• Acquired stenosis: Canal narrowing resulting from:
  • Chronic inflammatory conditions (e.g., chronic otitis externa).
  • Temporal bone trauma.
  • Burns or frostbite.
  • Previous otologic surgeries.
  • Benign or malignant neoplasms.
• Component of a sanitizing procedure: Meatoplasty is a mandatory step in radical middle otologic surgery to ensure broad access to the postoperative cavity and facilitate ongoing monitoring and care.

Surgical Technique and Objectives

Surgical modalities vary depending on the cause and severity of stenosis. Typically, scar tissue is excised, and bony structures that constrict the canal lumen are removed. To prevent restenosis and promote rapid epithelialization, the newly formed canal is lined with free skin grafts harvested from the patient’s postauricular region.

The primary goal of meatoplasty is to establish a wide, self-cleaning, and dry external auditory canal. A successful outcome helps prevent recurrent inflammation, improves hearing (if hearing loss has been linked to obstruction), and significantly simplifies ear hygiene.