Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Complications after T-shape or circular ear surgery in 142 dogs
By Esposito, F et al.·Published in The Journal of small animal practice·2026·North Downs Specialist Referrals, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: T-shape versus circular shape: a retrospective evaluation of intraoperative and postoperative complications in a cohort of 142 dogs undergoing TECA-LBO for end-stage otitis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 142 dogs undergoing surgery to remove their ear canal due to severe ear infections (total ear canal ablation and lateral bulla osteotomy) were evaluated to see if the shape of the incision (T-shaped or circular) affected complications. The study found that dogs with circular incisions had more bleeding during surgery, while those with T-shaped incisions had a higher rate of wound problems afterward. Despite these issues, most complications were minor and resolved on their own. This information can help veterinarians decide which surgical approach might be best for dogs needing this procedure.
People also search for: dog ear surgery complications · T-shaped vs circular incision dog · total ear canal ablation recovery · dog ear infection surgery risks
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To report the impact of the surgical approach (T-shaped or circular incision) on intraoperative and postoperative complications associated with total ear canal ablation and lateral bulla osteotomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records of dogs that underwent total ear canal ablation and lateral bulla osteotomy with T-shaped or circular incisions between 10 referral hospitals were retrospectively reviewed. Intraoperative and postoperative complications and follow-up were analysed and compared between groups using Fisher's exact test for categorical data and the Mann-Whitney rank-sum test for numerical data, with P < 0.05 considered significant. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-two dogs were included, totalling 156 surgeries: 84 were performed via circular incision (O-group) and 72 with a T-shaped incision (T-group). The groups were similar for sex (P = 0.182) and body weight (P = 0.836) distribution; the T-group was older at the time of surgery (P = 0.019). Intraoperative bleeding occurred in 13/156 (8%) dogs and significantly more frequently in the O-group (P = 0.03; 11 O-group [7%], two T-group [1%]). Postoperative complication rate was 38.6% (n = 60): wound complications occurred in 31/156 (20%) dogs, more frequently in the T-group (P ≤ 0.001; eight O-group [5%], 23 T-group [15%]); postoperative facial nerve neuropathy occurred in 31/156 (20%) dogs, and weakly associated with the O-group (P = 0.045; 22 O-group [14.1%], nine T-group [5.8%]). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Surgical preference may guide the choice between performing T-shaped or circular incisions during total ear canal ablation with lateral bulla osteotomy. Circular incisions were associated with a higher incidence of intraoperative haemorrhage and postoperative facial nerve neuropathy, while T-shaped incisions may increase the risk of wound complications. Most complications in both groups were minor or self-limiting.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40948057/