Exostoses do not go away on their own. Our specialists work with you to relieve your symptoms and prevent them from getting worse. If your condition does not improve, you may need surgery to remove large growths. Our otologic surgeons have extensive experience in removing exostoses while protecting the delicate structures of your ear.
What We Offer for Exostoses
- Specialized expertise: You'll see providers at a world-renowned Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) center. We can tell exostoses from other conditions that cause growths in the ears and know how to successfully treat them.
- Groundbreaking treatments: We offer advanced treatments for exostoses that require in-depth knowledge and surgical expertise.
- A collaborative team: Our ENT, hearing, and balance specialists work together to provide compassionate care that prioritizes your needs.
- Clinical trials: Our active research efforts provide eligible patients with early access to promising therapies available only at Stanford Health Care.
- Ease of access: You can find providers, treatment, and support services at convenient locations across the Bay Area. We make it simple to get the care you need—anywhere and anytime.
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Prevention is a form of treatment for exostoses. Your doctor will recommend ear protection, such as silicone earplugs or a neoprene hood during cold water activities to prevent further exostoses growth.
Treatments also include nonsurgical medical management, medications, and surgery for exostoses and related conditions.
Medical management involves routine cleaning of your outer ear canal to remove trapped debris. By keeping the area around the exostoses clean, you can prevent recurrent infections or earwax accumulation.
Antibiotic ear drops are the main treatment for infections of the outer ear, a common result of exostoses.
Surgery is usually an option only if you have severe ear canal blockage (greater than 80%) and infections or debris accumulation continue despite medical management.
The surgical procedure to remove exostoses is called a canalplasty. You usually receive general anesthesia to put you to sleep. Your doctor accesses the eardrum area through an incision in your skin or directly through your ear canal. They use a drill or chisel to remove the bony growths. If you have exostoses in both ears, these surgeries are usually not performed at the same time.