Long-term results of mastoid cavities grafted with cultured epithelium prepared from autologus epidermal cells to prevent chronic otorrhea.

Chronic otorrhea and recurrent infection from open mastoid cavities are common and troublesome clinical problems for which there is no very satisfactory treatment. The authors have previously described a simple procedure to solve this problem, using autologous cultured keratinocyte layers grafted onto the unepithelialized open mastoid cavities. All procedures are carried out on an outpatient basis without anesthesia, except for local anesthesia for the skin biopsy. Twenty-six patients with 28 "difficult" mastoids, in which otorrhea had been present from 2 to 32 years, have been grafted with a follow-up period varying from 10 to 18 months. Seventeen mastoid cavities became symptom-free as a result of this technique. There were 4 failures, and partial success was shown in 7 cavities as judged by both the patient and by clinical examination.