title: Open cavities in cholesteatoma surgery: checklist for proper surgery and perioperative care.
abstract: Decisions in cholesteatoma surgery regarding open versus closed techniques are based on the extent of the cholesteatoma, the degree of pneumatization of the middle ear and mastoid and the integrity of the remaining mucosa following complete resection of all disease. Checklists regarding handling of the soft tissues, drilling of the temporal bone with complete exenteration of the tympanomastoid air cell tracts, lowering of the facial ridge, partial obliteration of the cavity and meatoplasty and postoperative care are presented. Adhering to these checklists should enable every otologic surgeon to perform a safe open cavity and to end up with a dry, mostly self-cleaning cavity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kantonsspital Luzern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: T E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Linder
mesh_terms: D018424:Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods