Mastoid Ear Surgery - Responding to DHS - Conor Boland

This video talks about what mastoid cholesteatoma surgery is and what mastoid obliteration is. It is in part due to a fantastic case that Conor Boland from the Durham Hearing Specialists did a video on a few weeks ago. In that case a poor patient had a large mastoid cavity that required cleaning out but was so infected that he had granulation tissue in there.
I have provided links to those videos here -
Conor Boland Video - • Dead Bone And Infectio... - Dead Bone And Infection In Ear Cavity (Mastoid Sequestrum And Granulation)
Vik Veer - Response video - • My Response to Conor a...
In this video I fill in some of the gaps that I said I would get back to in that last email.
NEWSLETTER
If you would like more information, news and have access to various devices I give away for free, please sign up to my Newsletter. Click on the link below.
cheerful-knitter-8774.ck.page...
SNOREDOCTOR APP
This is my new app that helps people record and analyse their snoring at night. It is completely free (no ads, no paywalls, no personal data is collected). Please use the links below:
Android playstore link - play.google.com/store/apps/de...
Apple App Store
apps.apple.com/gb/app/snore-d...
CHARITY NFTs
I am going to start making a collection of NFTs about environmental projects I am passionate about. They aren't for sale yet, but once I have a few I will put them on the blockchain. All profits will be donated to charities. This first one is about plastic in the sea, and I will find a charity that will accept a crypto donation. I will also make a video one day explaining the benefits of NFTs. It also gives me a chance to flex some artistic brain cells I haven't used in many many years.
opensea.io/assets/0x495f94727...
AFFILIATE LINKS
These are links to amazon products. If you click on a link below then you will be directed to the Amazon product in question. If you then went on to buy the product, Amazon will provide me with a small commission (or finder's fee), which will not cost you anything. I will also not be able to collect any of your personal data, and the process will be beyond my influence. If you have questions about this arrangement please see the amazon page about this system. amazon-affiliate.eu/en/about-...
Camera kit
Canon EOS M6 Mark II - amzn.to/2KQjQPF
Canon 50mm F1.8 (nifty fifty) - The lens I use most of the time - amzn.to/3eI25yN
Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS M - amzn.to/3j1opDF
Amazon Basics Tripod - amzn.to/3cntUuU
Google Pixel 6 Pro - amzn.to/3IDMBIB
Audio kit
Yeti Blue Microphone - amzn.to/3afEEJ7
Lighting kit
Neewer 2 Pack Dimmable Bi-color 480 LED Video Light and Stand Lighting Kit - amzn.to/3onLcu8
Laptop
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo UX581 - amzn.to/2KUsfli
Software
Adobe Creative Suite
** Disclaimer - The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional. **

[@romandy]

Fantastic to hear you talk in detail about these procedures, even though you’ve performed all of these on my ears it’s easy to forget the process that they’ve been though. My left ear particularly benefitted from being filled with muscle from my leg as you mentioned. That ear has been infection free ever since.

[@VikVeerENTSurgeon]

Really so glad you are doing well. Thank you also for your comment

[@jimminyjillickers6391]

@@VikVeerENTSurgeon have you looked at the iQoro device in relation to sleep apnoea? It is available through NHS for treatment of hiatial hernia but they mention on their website that it could help apnoea sufferers

[@sherrihinton2885]

Wow. Thank you for your comment

[@DurhamHearingSpecialists]

Thanks for the explanation Vik, very interesting and great to learn more about this!

[@VikVeerENTSurgeon]

Glad it was helpful!

[@johnbryan2414]

Is there any advice you can give me to bypass regular doctors and get to a specialist. Everywhere I've tried either doesn't want to or can't help me. Now I have trust issues and am getting to the end of my rope

[@RamadhanFA]

All this time, i thought Conor's full name is Conor Durham 😂

[@monariley9704]

I’m the patient from Conor’s most recent video and he signposted me to this video which has been very informative thank you, you make it sound less scary than the Google searches which I appreciate! Just working on getting my HR down now and accepting that I’ll need surgery etc. Thanks again

[@VikVeerENTSurgeon]

I'm glad it helped a bit. Who are you seeing (ENT)? I trained in the north east so just interested... Good luck !

[@monariley9704]

@@VikVeerENTSurgeon - I’m waiting for someone in NCIC trust where I work to fit me in up in the north west difficult times for any sort of elective surgery at the moment, 14-19 week wait prediction when I booked in to the clinic list, just hoping for a first appointment before the summer really, I’m sure the situation just as dire where you’re working down in London too! Thanks again Mr Veer take care

[@Benjy420]

Another brilliant video to watch, I do wish that conversations between me and my current ENT surgeon were as informative as this. Sometimes the urge to pay for private care does seem very appealing to have such informative consultations. Brilliant stuff

[@stevemiller3082]

I have heard Connor reference Vic a few times. I’ve had all kinds of surgeries over my 53 years. I had “fibrous dysplasia” in my left forearm at age 8 in 1977 they did a bone graft- no worries since. Recently I’ve had 3 failed back fusion surgeries that ended with “ osteomyelitis” in my thoracic spine. I lost T hi-7,8,9 and became paralyzed. Amazingly enough I am regaining my ability to walk again. They placed a 5” cage (with one of my ribs ground up inside it) I’m my spine. They were worried about what materials to use in the cage due to my propensity for infections. So everything Vic said made sense to me. Thank you for you time Mr Vik Veer. Connor & Durham Hearing Specialists- thank you for educating us about conditions that most certainly are affecting part of the viewing audience.

[@VikVeerENTSurgeon]

love that idea of using some of your rib to recreate a new vertebra. must have taken ages to form until they were happy for you to walk etc. amazing what the body can do.

[@stevemiller3082]

@@VikVeerENTSurgeon There was discussion about “Bone Bondo” bondo here in the United States is a two part epoxy for filling in dents in automobiles. I’m sure this is similar to the synthetic materials that you mentioned. Then there was cadaver material-eww, very relieved that we sacrificed my own rib. Although it’s painful to roll on that side at times and other times it feels like my organs are hemorrhaging to the space previously occupied by my rib. I’m just happy with my opportunity to walk again.

[@The_Lazy_Crafter]

Excellent video, you really explained this so well. Thank you I really like your videos 👍

[@karendixon5481]

That was fascinating, thank you and thanks Conor for asking the question. Could/have you got a video of the procedure to fill the cavity?

[@VikVeerENTSurgeon]

I'll have a look around and see if there is anything i've recorded and got consent for.

[@elainethemusician3310]

Thank you for this. Your explanations are very clear and I am finally beginning to understand what I had and what was done to me over a period of many years. My first madtoidectomy was in 1975 when I was ten. It was as you explained in those days. The infected bone was removed and I had an open cavity with no middle ear or eardrum. I was in hospital for two weeks and lost nearly half a term of schooling. I was left with severe deafness in that ear but was told that my right ear had perfect hearing and would compensate for it. In other words - get on with it. So get on with it l did as best l could with hardly any concessions. The irony is that l have had a career as a classical musician and have perfect pitch. Music teaches listening skills and l am good at lipreading. I had to go back for regular cleanings - some of them extremely unpleasant as they made me very dizzy. Also, around 1976/7, I was told by my then ENT consultant that cotton buds were an excellent way of cleaning out ears! Over the years l had an increasing number of infections including a burst abcess in that ear when I was thirteen - the worst pain l think I have ever had in my life. In 2010, the infections had become chronic again and I had a reverse madtoidectomy with plastic bones and a skin grafted eardrum. It has been miraculous. However, l now have worsening hearing in both ears and rely on hearing aids. What a change and what advances in my lifetime. I am very grateful for everything, but writing it down is very cathartic as it makes me feel quite emotional when I think about the problems I have had with my ears.

[@bobbiemoquin4715]

Thank you. I wish more doctors understood that just because a scan is clean, it doesn't mean there is no regrowth. My last scan was clean. I had many symptoms of regrowth, but still didn't operate because they trusted the scan, not the symptoms. Finally operated and found a lot of regrowth behind a thick skin wall that grew after my previous surgery. Because the symptoms were ignored, it did far more damage than the previous 5 reoccurrences. Now, they gave me the big ugly ear hole, took all my hearing bones and my tragus. 🥺 6 surgeries in 9 years....

[@VikVeerENTSurgeon]

I'm sorry they missed the cholesteatoma. I never trusted the scans to be honest. there was a fad of using these DWI scans and a lot of people were using them. I used them as well but still went on to do the follow up operations just in case and I saw a 30%-40% missed rate and so I stopped using it altogether. I understand things have got better and they now say 10%, but 1 in 10 is still too much for me. I know its not nice to have another operation even when there is a risk it was for nothing, but there is a 20% chance of these masses growing back so I always look and try and avoid the situation you got into. In your case I would keep taking you to theatre every year until I see that there is no more cholesteatoma so I know finally you are safe and we don't need to do it again. I hope you get there in the end.

[@SquiddyBonneBouche]

I just want to say that I don’t think there is an ear whole big enough to contain all of your bravery and energy. I’m so sorry that you had to go through all of this medical trauma and I hope that everything gets better for you.

[@carolynmorgan2193]

Fascinating, thank you x

[@rosemarybirch3655]

Fascinating. thank you

[@earcarespecialists]

Very informative 👏

[@forchedieudonne8121]

Thank you so much Doc. Now i can go in for my operation knowing fully what will be done on my head. I have been worried since my doctor booked me for surgery on this same problem. Thank😊

[@ashlyalexander4108]

Hi Vik. Excellent videos and explanations. Can you tell what you use to record your videos and how you learned such fabulous videos editing and apps used for it?

[@horacehearing7119]

Thanks for sharing very interesting

[@VikVeerENTSurgeon]

My pleasure

[@mikekaraoke]

Another rather detailed video that isn't really confusing! You are an ENT that knows how to 100% do their job. You said Romford in East London I know it is LB but it is still part of Essex as well. due to postcode and shops like Essex tiles etc BTW spoke to Miss Toma's secretary at Darent Valley yesterday, and she said she will tell her that I phoned and about the referral! My appointment with her is on the 3rd of Jan so in just over month! So when Miss Toma does the referral for me to see you, what hospital should she send it to again: Royal National ENT, Queen's, or King George's Hospital??

[@amybaker5241]

This was very clear I have always wondered what is the reason for it, as I delve into E.N.T world it's very interesting to me to learn new things and medical sciences has always been an interest to me.

[@SquiddyBonneBouche]

So intelligent 😍 So interesting

[@tinastrongbow3292]

I've just had my 3rd op and have been told it may still return. Next ip is an brain scan to check all is OK. This is terrifying. Thanks for the video, I've watched a few of these now

[@forwardthinkingtrucker]

Had mastoid bone drilled away in 1983. Had recurrent Cholesteatoma in 2008. Now have a Canal Cholesteatoma in 2023. Preparing for another surgery

[@Ryan-dc8lc]

Hello Vik. I have a big concern. Since April I've been dealing with one sided nasal congestion that switches nostrils due to Covid. This morning I woke up and noticed I can't feel the air in one nostril even though it isn't currently congested. Due to my mental state in the past 8 months I've been really frightened and stressed. Is there any insight that you have?

[@ramona9954]

I wish you were in the states I could use your help . Constant mucus discharge from my right ear my ENT doctor is not giving me answers. I’m tired of taking antibiotics.

[@pritysohel9531]

Hi Virk Veer, Thank you for this video. I had a hemirthyroidectomy last year. Since that operation my left started hurting then I noticed a lump which is very painful and my left ear over the months stated blocking . I had an appointment with ENT in July but was cancelled due yo doctors strikes. I've now got an appointment in September this coming month. I'm really suffering. What shall I do? Should I go to A&E? Please advise duecto left side of head is swelling up and very painful. Thank you

[@Saiyandudette]

Is there a heightened risk of biofilm formation/chronic infection risk on synthetic materials used (as opposed to using biological material)?

[@user-nj8br4wj2s]

Any tips for recovering after surgery?

[@samkeino6810]

Just stumbled across your videos. Are you able to see private patients for surgical interventions from the US if I flew there? Alternatively, are you able to consult with me over the phone? Unable to say much more as I am “incognito”, although I do have a connection with UCLH. Can I contact you via UCLH?

[@RaquelCemine-lk2lr]

Hello Mr Vic,untill now I didn't get check up by tnt,but I want it because of money problems I still had it..thank you for sharing your video Mr Vic,all I want is wait for the time of getting check up..

[@jamescorrigan1002]

I had radical mastoidectomy and have permanent perforated eardrum in 1980s I have to get it cleaned every 6 months. Is there a chance it would come back

[@wdwscommittee1915]

This is very informative for me as I am considering having 3 surgery from 218 and 2023 now my consultant say that the curtilage spilit and blocking him to see behind my left eardrum I had the CT scan and now waiting MRI scan but scare to go ahead. My hearing is ok no discharging no pain but consultant keep saying we can't keep cleaning it. Please doctor advice me should I leave it and hope no dead skin behind or should I go ahead and have 3 surgery? Real appreciated

[@debthereb12]

Great explanation and images. If the person has the choleastoma removed without a surgical procedure,ie, it’s small a can be sucked out easily; will it continue to be an issue in the future just because that’s the way the persons ear works, or can it possibly never happen again? Thank you

[@VikVeerENTSurgeon]

Very very rare for the cholesteatoma not to return as you still have the pocket and it is very likely for it to grow again in the same place. by sucking it out all you do is really debulk it.

[@debthereb12]

@@VikVeerENTSurgeonThank you for the reply. Interesting for sure.

[@andycarrillo48]

If I sent you my x rays could you tell me if I should be worried about anything ? A ent doctor said I have a tumor but it’s small and don’t worry about it. Also I have tinnitus and stuffy ears. I have an ear tube on my left ear rn and it gave me louder tinnitus too. I got sinusitis symptoms this past spring 2022. I’m probably over reacting though. I only seek out help after I listen to music too much. It’s not confusing but it’s just weird how my ears ring so easily now. I wonder if it’s because of my sinus disease ???? Even when I blow out my nose, my ears feel weird or the air circulation is too noticeable, also I have muffled hearing when I workout

[@TiagoCapristano]

Thank you Dr. Vik. I was told my 6yo son cant swim ever again after a bilateral radical mastoidectomy 8 months ago. But here you say a few times that people can do that. What allows that and is there any way of fixing that with time? We are told our Surgeon is on of the best there is. I'm inclined to trust that. But medicine is not an exact science and it never hurts to know more. We are crushed under the whole new live ahead and permanent scare of return infections. Is there any way to reach you/your office? Thank you.

[@VikVeerENTSurgeon]

A radical operation leaves everything open. I'm not a fan of this operation unless it was really bad and there was no way to avoid it. You can always have it reversed later?

[@benjaminfrankliniii9857]

Hi Vik. Please tell me what is the mouthpiece that holds your tongue down onto your mouth?

[@VikVeerENTSurgeon]

not sure what you mean - the iNAP device? or the tongue retaining device?

[@ObliviouslyGifted]

I have a stank that comes from my ears no matter how much i clean them or how good my ear hygiene is.. It’s very embarrassing. My ears tend to smell like athletes foot, especially when sweaty. What could this be? Do i have any infection pockets or any other underlying issues?? Please 🙏🏽 and thank you.

[@AnkitSharma-hr6rl]

Sir I got CT scan done that I have mastoiditis but my eardrum is looking thick and dull. Do I have mastoiditis? There is no discharge in the eardrum.There is some white discharge coming out of the nose and there is a slight hearing loss.

[@finlear3320]

Hi Vik what about a modified radical mastoidectomy?

[@VikVeerENTSurgeon]

That is the name for the operation where you take the back wall of the canal down and you end up with that sump and the infection growing in the dip behind the facial nerve. sorry I didn't want to give the old terminology as I think it is confusing for people.

[@tanvi129]

Dear respected Dr vik veer l am Dr k.t.patil from India. I do total posterior soft wall reconstruction immediately after canal wall down procedure but preserving most of the mucosa. So this has all the safety of canal wall down and the advantages of the canal wall up

[@carolynesimpson6070]

Ive had both mastoids removed and a Cholesteatoma. First mastoid I had removed I was 18 years old now 58 years old. I had a very large hard red lump behind my Left ear. I had laser treatment and was in hospital for 10 days. Laser treatment was very new when I first had it done. Now they say Cholesteatoma is not hereditary and my son had the same disease. I think he might of been born with his as at 9 years old ( now 32 years old ) he had a polyp. He has had about 3 operations as the Cholesteatoma kept growing back probably because some cells were left behind so therefore regrew. He has a checkup like me every year for life. ,

[@MOHAN12716]

sir, i had my left submandibular gland operation and removed it 1 year ago due to stones. I had getting some stones before operation from salivary gland and pus also.soo, i decided to operation hoping all will be normal . My doctor showed 4 stones inside gland after removing it but after few weeks i again got 2 stones and pus from same salivary duct.i meet my doctor and he said it is previous stones that were still in duct and pus problem will solve after some time.i am not getting stones but i am continuously getting pus each day . I told my doctor about it many times but he says he is also confusing but says here is no dangerous . Please doctor tell me something about it . I am very nervous and in tension. What should i need to do pls doctor suggest me.i am from nepal and my doctor was Dr.Ramesh parajuli working in SAMUDAYiK Hospital, chitwan

[@hibajamal9747]

Hi, i had this surgery with tympanoplasty. Now my mastoid is swell above the stitches right where the drill was made. Dr has started antibiotics with anti inflammatory. What can b the reasons. Im actually freaking out.

[@hibajamal9747]

I had the surgery 3 weeks before. All went well now i got the pain with swelling(not too much) what can be the reasons? Im really stressed that it will be settled?

[@user-uk2fj5nu2h]

Doktor I have bone mass on my mastoid

[@Riya-ds6pd]

I need Mostoid surgery operation please help me I am from Bangladesh,,,😢😢😢😢😢

[@johnbryan2414]

I need help. I need to know of a trusted doctor for my tinitus. I saw one doctor, an ENT, who obviously was not for fixing me, in fact, he refused to try and then showed me a graph of things that may bother me as if to plant a seed. It was mortifying and now I'm afraid of this new breed of doctors that do not adhere to the oath they supposedly take. Please help with any advice as to where to turn. I'm in portland OR. The sewer of wokeness.