title: Defects of the external auditory canal: a new reconstruction technique.
abstract: This report describes the clinical and radiographic findings together with surgical management of temporomandibular joint contents herniation through the tympanic plate of the external auditory canal. Two patients are reported. A review of the literature is presented, including a brief discussion of the embryological development of the external auditory canal. Excluding infection, trauma or neoplasm, the defect in the tympanic plate of the external auditory canal represents a developmental aberration with failure of the foramen of Huschke to close during development. A pre-auricular approach with insertion and fixation of an onlay polyethylene implant to prevent prolapse of the peri-articular tissues into the ear canal is presented and described.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Kettering General Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: V T
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Latif
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D004424:Ear Canal / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000196:embryology / Q000601:surgery; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011391:Prolapse; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D013704:Temporomandibular Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed