Post-traumatic bilateral atresia of the external auditory canals.

A patient developed atresia of both external auditory canals following a traffic accident. Bilateral atresia of the auditory canals is very rare and has never been reported in Japan. The occluded portions of the canals were resected through a postauricular approach. In the right external auditory canal, a cholesteatoma-like accumulation was found behind the obstruction. The operation restored the hearing in both ears tonearly normal. Twenty-two cases of post-traumatic atresia of an external auditory canalreported to date in Japan are reviewed, and the pathology, pathogenesis and treatment are discussed.