Radical Mastoidectomy & Hearing Aids

[Guest guest]

Can anyone tell me exactally which parts of the ear are removed during

this procedure and what hearing aid options are out there and their

approximate cost.

I thought our doc said he'd remove the ear drum (which is severely

retracted) and the bones of hearing, leaving Hubby either deaf in the

left ear or would have to obtain a hearing aid.

(Our insurance will not cover any type of hearing aid, should my

husband have to have this procedure in the future).

We are praying very hard that we won't have to resort to the RM

procedure anytime soon, we'll know more after his 2nd surgury on Dec

19th, but want to start gathering any info I can.

Appreciate all your time and thoughts!

[Guest guest]

,

It will all depend on what the doctor finds during surgery. Their first

objective will be a clean dry ear. Everything beyond that is icing on

the cake, but I believe doctors try their best. In my case, my right

ear was diagnosed first - this was after years and years of ear

infection treated by decongestants provided by general practitioners

that ... well, didn't know any better. Very typically, my hearing in my

right ear was gone before I got referred to an ENT. Thankfully, that

ENT immediately recognized the problem and handed me off to an

otologist/neurotologist that is fantastic. Well, my right ear

cholesteatoma was massive, but it had only taken out my ossicles and

left things like the inner ear alone. He did a great reconstruction of

the right ear ossicles - it's a prosthesis that works amazingly well ...

but I do wear a hearing aid. My left ear was caught earlier - the

doctor was looking for trouble because of the other ear. In the left

ear, he save my hearing bones, reshaped them and reconstructed them.

They don't work very well, but I just got a much more powerful hearing

aid that has me doing quite well. With the BTE aid, I can hear well in

meetings for the first time in years.

So, it's all going to depend on what the doctor finds.

For hearing aids, I've usually been able to get zero interest loans from

my employer that are paid via payroll deduction. I had to put the last

one on a credit card though - time was of the essence. My new aid is a

Widex elan Flash. So far I'm really happy with it, but I do have a

minor problem of not really getting the " e-tip " to stay in my ear

canal. This only means that I often have this goofy little plastic tube

bowing out from the side of my head. The e-tip allows a lot of airflow

down the canal - good for folks like me that tend to have issues with

moisture from the old fashioned hearing aids.

Matt

rebecca_tatreau wrote:

>

> Can anyone tell me exactally which parts of the ear are removed during

> this procedure and what hearing aid options are out there and their

> approximate cost.

>

> I thought our doc said he'd remove the ear drum (which is severely

> retracted) and the bones of hearing, leaving Hubby either deaf in the

> left ear or would have to obtain a hearing aid.

>

> (Our insurance will not cover any type of hearing aid, should my

> husband have to have this procedure in the future).

>

> We are praying very hard that we won't have to resort to the RM

> procedure anytime soon, we'll know more after his 2nd surgury on Dec

> 19th, but want to start gathering any info I can.

>

> Appreciate all your time and thoughts!

>

>

>

>

--

[Guest guest]

I was not deaf after mine, I don't think your left without the ear drum but are missing the hearing bones. A modified radical is the best way to get rid of c-toma, nearly 30 years after mine and it has not come back. Reconstruction is possible in most cases which I did have, about 7 years ago I started to see a drop off in my hearing so I got a hearing aid. My Ins did not cover it andit was about $2000.00...

Tom Hansen

From: rebecca_tatreau <rebecca_tatreau@...>Subject: Radical Mastoidectomy & Hearing Aidscholesteatoma Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 2:05 PM

Can anyone tell me exactally which parts of the ear are removed during this procedure and what hearing aid options are out there and their approximate cost. I thought our doc said he'd remove the ear drum (which is severely retracted) and the bones of hearing, leaving Hubby either deaf in the left ear or would have to obtain a hearing aid.(Our insurance will not cover any type of hearing aid, should my husband have to have this procedure in the future).We are praying very hard that we won't have to resort to the RM procedure anytime soon, we'll know more after his 2nd surgury on Dec 19th, but want to start gathering any info I can.Appreciate all your time and thoughts!

[Guest guest]

I'm not sure that there is a best answer for all cases. This is a

decision for the otologist/neurotologist to make during surgery.

Cholesteatomas can grow in many different ways and none of them seem to

be absolutely the same. While I've had one recurrence in my right ear,

I've been knocking on wood for more than three years now. So far so good.

Oh ... my newest hearing aid cost $1,600. The older ones were $1,000

each I'm arranging to replace the other one next year through payroll

deduction. If one of your employers has a method for a health savings

account - that's the mechanism I'm using.

Matt

Tom Hansen wrote:

>

> I was not deaf after mine, I don't think your left without the ear

> drum but are missing the hearing bones. A modified radical is the

> best way to get rid of c-toma, nearly 30 years after mine and it has

> not come back. Reconstruction is possible in most cases which I

> did have, about 7 years ago I started to see a drop off in my hearing

> so I got a hearing aid. My Ins did not cover it andit was about

> $2000.00...

>

>

> Tom Hansen

>

>

>

> From: rebecca_tatreau <rebecca_tatreau@...>

> Subject: Radical Mastoidectomy & Hearing Aids

> cholesteatoma

> Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 2:05 PM

>

> Can anyone tell me exactally which parts of the ear are removed

> during

> this procedure and what hearing aid options are out there and their

> approximate cost.

>

> I thought our doc said he'd remove the ear drum (which is severely

> retracted) and the bones of hearing, leaving Hubby either deaf in the

> left ear or would have to obtain a hearing aid.

>

> (Our insurance will not cover any type of hearing aid, should my

> husband have to have this procedure in the future).

>

> We are praying very hard that we won't have to resort to the RM

> procedure anytime soon, we'll know more after his 2nd surgury on Dec

> 19th, but want to start gathering any info I can.

>

> Appreciate all your time and thoughts!

>

>

>

>

>

--

[Guest guest]

I was not completed deaf after mine, I don;t thik your left without the ear drum

but are missing the hearing bones.  A modified radical is the nest way to

get rid of c-toma, nearly 30 years after mine and it has not come back. 

Reconstruction is possible in most cases which I did have, about 7 years ago I

started to see a drop off in my hearing so I got a  

From: rebecca_tatreau <rebecca_tatreau@...>

Subject: Radical Mastoidectomy & Hearing Aids

cholesteatoma

Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 2:05 PM

Can anyone tell me exactally which parts of the ear are removed during

this procedure and what hearing aid options are out there and their

approximate cost.

I thought our doc said he'd remove the ear drum (which is severely

retracted) and the bones of hearing, leaving Hubby either deaf in the

left ear or would have to obtain a hearing aid.

(Our insurance will not cover any type of hearing aid, should my

husband have to have this procedure in the future).

We are praying very hard that we won't have to resort to the RM

procedure anytime soon, we'll know more after his 2nd surgury on Dec

19th, but want to start gathering any info I can.

Appreciate all your time and thoughts!

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Our daughter had a Radical Mastoidectomy this year and the 3 inner ear

bones were removed, the bone between the inner ear and the mastoid, the

ear canal was enlarged and the area is now an open cavity. Her eardrum

membrane is formed of scar tissue. This open cavity is how the so called

dry and healthy ear is obtained and maintained.

Beacause her hearing nerve is intact she will be able to hear with a

hearing aid. Our daughter was just fit for the ear mold at this time.

But, does not have the aid yet. I was told you could get an adequate

digital aid for $1000-1200.

I hope this is helpful to you.

Best of luck to you and your husband,

Cheryl

>

> Can anyone tell me exactally which parts of the ear are removed during

> this procedure and what hearing aid options are out there and their

> approximate cost.

>

> I thought our doc said he'd remove the ear drum (which is severely

> retracted) and the bones of hearing, leaving Hubby either deaf in the

> left ear or would have to obtain a hearing aid.

>

> (Our insurance will not cover any type of hearing aid, should my

> husband have to have this procedure in the future).

>

> We are praying very hard that we won't have to resort to the RM

> procedure anytime soon, we'll know more after his 2nd surgury on Dec

> 19th, but want to start gathering any info I can.

>

> Appreciate all your time and thoughts!

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Most Otologists will say the ear canel takes on an inner appearance of a pare cut in half.

It has 85% sucess rate.......

Tom Hansen

From: alliefamily5 <alliefamily5@...>Subject: Re: Radical Mastoidectomy & Hearing Aidscholesteatoma Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 8:15 PM

Hi ,Our daughter had a Radical Mastoidectomy this year and the 3 inner earbones were removed, the bone between the inner ear and the mastoid, theear canal was enlarged and the area is now an open cavity. Her eardrummembrane is formed of scar tissue. This open cavity is how the so calleddry and healthy ear is obtained and maintained.Beacause her hearing nerve is intact she will be able to hear with ahearing aid. Our daughter was just fit for the ear mold at this time.But, does not have the aid yet. I was told you could get an adequate digital aid for $1000-1200.I hope this is helpful to you.Best of luck to you and your husband,Cheryl>> Can anyone tell me exactally which parts of

the ear are removed during> this procedure and what hearing aid options are out there and their> approximate cost.>> I thought our doc said he'd remove the ear drum (which is severely> retracted) and the bones of hearing, leaving Hubby either deaf in the> left ear or would have to obtain a hearing aid.>> (Our insurance will not cover any type of hearing aid, should my> husband have to have this procedure in the future).>> We are praying very hard that we won't have to resort to the RM> procedure anytime soon, we'll know more after his 2nd surgury on Dec> 19th, but want to start gathering any info I can.>> Appreciate all your time and thoughts!>> >

[Guest guest]

Cheryl,

Thank you to you and everyone else who has responded. In a matter of 24 hours I've gone from blatent panic to feeling very calm and hopeful thanks to all your stories and advise.

What a blessing this group is!

Thanks,

From: alliefamily5 <alliefamily5@...>Subject: Re: Radical Mastoidectomy & Hearing Aidscholesteatoma Date: Tuesday, October 14, 2008, 8:15 PM

Hi ,Our daughter had a Radical Mastoidectomy this year and the 3 inner earbones were removed, the bone between the inner ear and the mastoid, theear canal was enlarged and the area is now an open cavity. Her eardrummembrane is formed of scar tissue. This open cavity is how the so calleddry and healthy ear is obtained and maintained.Beacause her hearing nerve is intact she will be able to hear with ahearing aid. Our daughter was just fit for the ear mold at this time.But, does not have the aid yet. I was told you could get an adequate digital aid for $1000-1200.I hope this is helpful to you.Best of luck to you and your husband,Cheryl>> Can anyone tell me exactally which parts of

the ear are removed during> this procedure and what hearing aid options are out there and their> approximate cost.>> I thought our doc said he'd remove the ear drum (which is severely> retracted) and the bones of hearing, leaving Hubby either deaf in the> left ear or would have to obtain a hearing aid.>> (Our insurance will not cover any type of hearing aid, should my> husband have to have this procedure in the future).>> We are praying very hard that we won't have to resort to the RM> procedure anytime soon, we'll know more after his 2nd surgury on Dec> 19th, but want to start gathering any info I can.>> Appreciate all your time and thoughts!>> >