Disease recidivism after subtotal petrosectomy and ear canal closure

Purpose To describe the presentation, diagnosis, and management of chronic otitis media recidivism after subtotal petrosectomy and ear canal closure (STP). Materials and methods Patients with temporal bone pathology detected during follow-up after STP were identified in the electronic medical record. Pertinent clinical details regarding surveillance plan, presentation, imaging findings, and revision surgery were collected and analyzed. Results A total of 10 patients were identified with recurrent or persistent pathology after STP. The median time to detection was 46 months (IQR 24–84). Five patients (50 %) had non-specific symptomatology, 4 patients (40 %) were completely asymptomatic, and 1 patient (10 %) was asymptomatic outside of two instances of mastoiditis with cochlear implant device infection treated with incision and drainage. One patient (10 %) was noted to have proptosis on examination, but no other patients had objective signs of disease at detection of disease recidivism. Nine (90 %) patients had pathology identified on preoperative imaging. All patients underwent revision surgery, with identification of cholesteatoma in 8 cases (80 %) and cholesterol granuloma in 2 cases (20 %). Extensive disease was noted in 6 patients (60 %), all of whom followed-up greater than 3 years from surgery. All patients tolerated revision surgery without complication. Conclusions Recidivistic disease often remains clinically silent for extended periods of time after STP. Planned follow-up — with imaging or second look surgery — to facilitate early detection should be considered. Undetected disease recurrence or development may result in morbidity in a proportion of patients if surveillance is not performed.