What is a Total Ear Canal Ablation?

Total Ear Canal Ablation

               Some dogs and cats have severe, chronic ear infections that fail to respond to medical treatment or they may develop a tumor in the ear canal which may require surgical removal of the ear canal. This procedure, known as Total Ear Canal Ablation (often performed with another procedure called a Bulla Osteotomy) known as a TECA (Tee-Ka) or TECABO (Tee-Ka-Boe). Let’s learn more about this procedure.

               In a total ear canal ablation, the entire vertical and horizontal ear canal is removed along with the ear drum and the small bones (hammer, anvil and stirrup) that sit in a hollow structure at the base of the skull know as the bulla. This removes all inflamed, diseased or infected tissue within the ear. The outer ear flap or pinna remains and the skin is closed over what had been the ear canal.  Once healed, it is often difficult to tell the pet no longer has an ear canal.

               While complete hearing loss is possible after a TECA, surprisingly, many animals retain some hearing. The cochlea which is the organ that allows us to hear is not typically removed.  Dogs and cats can receive sound vibrations through the skin that impact the cochlea and allow the pet to hear, though sounds may be muffled as if under water.  Most pets feel much better after a TECA procedure as it removes chronic pain and infection associated with non-healing, chronic ear infections or tumors in the ear canal.

               Most dogs and cats recover well from TECA surgery; however, complications are possible and include deafness/reduced hearing, vertigo symptoms/dizziness, bleeding, prolonged infection/abscess formation and damage to the facial nerve which may cause temporary paralysis with drooping of the lip and eyelid on the affected side or Horner’s Syndrome (constricted pupil, drooping eyelid, retraction of the eye into the socket) and decreased blink reflexes and, in some cases, changes to the position or movement of the ear flap.  In rare cases, facial paralysis can be permanent.  Recovery time is 2-6 weeks.

               TECABO surgery is typically reserved for severe, prolonged otitis or cancer of the ear canal, but, in cases where medical treatment has failed or where the pet has a tumor in the ear canal, TECA surgery can improve and extend the life of the pet by removing infection and pain as well as the need for long term ear drops and other medications.

               This blog brought to you by the Patton Veterinary Hospital serving Red Lion, York and the surrounding communities.

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