Cerebral abscess after obliterative mastoid operation.

During the last few years, otologists have again become interested in methods that ensure rapid and sound healing of the surgical defect created in the mastoid portion of the temporal bone after mastoidectomy, fenestration, and certain tympanoplasty operations. The stimulus to study this problem again has almost certainly followed the introduction of tympanoplasty. This is because the necessity to create a large cavity in the mastoid in some tympanoplasty operations leads in many cases to difficulties in healing after operation and damage to the tympanic graft. Wullstein avoids this problem as far as possible by trying not to produce such a cavity. Nevertheless, there are cases where it is essential to excavate the mastoid extensively in order to produce a safe ear, and some method must be used in order to ensure sound and stable healing. In the past, surgeons have left the cavity to heal by granulation with spontaneous