A mastoidectomy is a procedure performed to remove the

mastoid air cells The mastoid cells (also called air cells of Lenoir or mastoid cells of Lenoir) are air-filled cavities within the mastoid process of the temporal bone of the cranium. The mastoid cells are a form of skeletal pneumaticity. Infection in these cells ...

, air bubbles in the skull, near the inner ears. This can be done as part of treatment for

mastoiditis Mastoiditis is the result of an infection that extends to the air cells of the skull behind the ear. Specifically, it is an inflammation of the mucosal lining of the mastoid antrum and mastoid air cell system inside the mastoid process. The ma ...

, chronic suppurative otitis media or

cholesteatoma Cholesteatoma is a destructive and expanding growth consisting of keratinizing squamous epithelium in the middle ear and/or mastoid process. Cholesteatomas are not cancerous as the name may suggest, but can cause significant problems because of th ...

. In addition, it is sometimes performed as part of other procedures (

cochlear implant A cochlear implant (CI) is a surgically implanted neuroprosthesis that provides a person who has moderate-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss with sound perception. With the help of therapy, cochlear implants may allow for improved speech und ...

) or for access to the middle ear. There are classically 5 different types of mastoidectomy: ;* Radical : Removal of posterior and superior canal wall, meatoplasty and exteriorisation of middle ear. ;* Canal wall down : Removal of posterior and superior canal wall, meatoplasty.

Tympanic membrane In the anatomy of humans and various other tetrapods, the eardrum, also called the tympanic membrane or myringa, is a thin, cone-shaped membrane that separates the external ear from the middle ear. Its function is to transmit sound from the air ...

left in place. ;* Canal wall up : Posterior and superior canal wall are kept intact. A facial recess approach is taken. ;* Cortical : (Also known as schwartze procedure) - Removal of

Mastoid air cells The mastoid cells (also called air cells of Lenoir or mastoid cells of Lenoir) are air-filled cavities within the mastoid process of the temporal bone of the cranium. The mastoid cells are a form of skeletal pneumaticity. Infection in these cells ...

is undertaken without affecting the middle ear. This is typically done for

;* Modified radical : This is confusing because it is typically described as a radical mastoidectomy while maintaining the posterior and superior canal wall which reminds the reader of the Canal Wall Up Mastoidectomy. However, the difference is historical. Modified radical mastoidectomy typically refers to Bondy's procedure which involves treating disease affecting only the epitympanum. Diseased areas as well as portions of the adjacent superior and posterior canal are simply exteriorised without affecting the uninvolved middle ear. The structures are preserved to reconstruct hearing mechanism at the time of surgery or in second-stage operation. In Radical and Modified Mastoidectomy the mastoid and middle ear cavities are exteriorized so as not to give the chance for the infection or the cholesteatoma to spread into the middle cranial fossa. Since the cavities are exteriorized, further inspection and cleaning could be done regularly. Since the development of endoscopic transcanal ear surgery pioneered by Professor Tarabichi there has been a significant decrease in the use of this procedure.

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