Surfers Ear surgery - Chisel method

[LBsup]

Hi all,

On 10/9 I’m getting surgery on my left ear, 10/19 my right.  I’m wondering if anyone has had the chisel method surgery as opposed to the drill method?  If so, I’m interested in your experience post surgery, how long you were out of work and most importantly how long to return to the water?  If not, we’ll I’ll you know how it goes.

Thanks,  Ken

[1tuberider]

Hi LB
I have had the surgery many years ago. Not sure if chisel or drill. Outcome should be the
same either way. They basically cut behind the ear and laid it on my face while fixing.
I was not impacted at work other than the day of surgery. I was told to not surf for six weeks.
I waited but also had the surgery when the wave harvest was minimal or non existent.
The best day was when the plug was pulled and I again had stereo.
I would listen to the doctor's advice with both ears. 

[LBsup]

Hi LB
I have had the surgery many years ago. Not sure if chisel or drill. Outcome should be the
same either way. They basically cut behind the ear and laid it on my face while fixing.
I was not impacted at work other than the day of surgery. I was told to not surf for six weeks.
I waited but also had the surgery when the wave harvest was minimal or non existent.
The best day was when the plug was pulled and I again had stereo.
I would listen to the doctor's advice with both ears.

Hey tubrider,

Actually the method is different and it sounds like you got the drill method with stitches behind your ear.  The outcome I’m told is different as the recovery for the chisel method is less time.  My surgeon will work straight into my ear canal no cut behind the ear.  I’m glad it went well fo you.

[Weasels wake]

Hopefully your doctor told you that after you're all healed up, you have to change the way you treat your ears from then on.  Don't let your ear cannels get cold or wet, foam plugs to keep them warm, like when you're in the snow, and WP plugs for when you're in the water,,,,,,,,,,, for the rest of your life.  Or your bone growth will come right back, and maybe even quicker, because you've become predisposed to grow those things.
That's what my doc told me, and so far it's worked, 30 years and counting since having one done.  I arrested the bone growth in the other ear by keeping them warm, after my lovely episode.

[Zooport]

Are you in Long Beach CA?  If so, you should contact Dr Shohet in Newport Beach.  He did my ears and did an amazing job in 2010.  8 years later, there is no regrowth.  Didn't cut behind my ears either, he went in with micro camera and scalpel. 

[LBsup]

Weasel, yes the doc said I need to take care of the ears when I return to the water. 

Zooport, I live in NJ, Dr. Mcafee is supposedly the only doctor on the east coast who mimics Dr. Heltzer in Santa Cruz, CA who will only use the chisel method.

[surfk9]

Had the chisel method done years ago by Dr Hertzel (?) in Santa Cruz, Ca.  He is the Dr that developed the technique. All done through the earhole with micro tools.  Flap of skin cut and peeled back, micro chisel the bone growth off, lay the flap back down, pack with antibiotic ointment, He recommends 3 weeks out of the water but ycan maybe be back in 2, depends on how well you heal.  This surgery has no relationship with the ear flap method other then they are both done on the ear.  I believe I have about 17 years free ofno new ear bone growth even with continuing to surf frigid NorCal, with a hood and ear plugs now, however.  I've still got a nice glass tube of the bone growth he took out, looks like coral.  I had both ears done at the same time to save on surgery room costs, only problem was I couldn't hear real well for a week while the packing was in, had to turn the tv way up.  Oh, and the surgery took 6 hours, it's very delicate, make sure your Dr has done more than a few, don't be his training dummy.

[yugi]

How can you tell if you have surfers ear?

Increasingly I'm having trouble draining water from one ear.

[1tuberider]

Hi Yugi
You will know. I experienced hearing loss for weeks at a time. When one ear is not
working background noise is all you hear. Fresh water usually always caused
infection. Salt water not so much. Its very annoying.

Since surgery, I always wear earplugs. The problem though not completely gone
has not come back to the stage it was before. My problem started in So Calif. I live
at the extreme north end of the state now.

Take care of yourself and wear earplugs every time you go surfing or paddling. The ear
closure is avoidable.

[Bean]

These are the ear plugs I use when the water gets cold.  I like the fact that I can still hear with these on...

https://surfears.com/

[LBsup]

How can you tell if you have surfers ear?

Increasingly I'm having trouble draining water from one ear.

I’ve been dealing with this issue for the many years.  If you go to an ENT doctor they can tell just by looking in your ear.  The past three years I was told my left ear had 50% closure, right ear less and the doc told me it wasn’t getting worse.  Then this past summer my I couldn’t clear my left ear, went to the doc and he said it’s almost completely blocked, right ear got worse too.  So I decided to get the surgery.

[LBsup]

Had the chisel method done years ago by Dr Hertzel (?) in Santa Cruz, Ca.  He is the Dr that developed the technique. All done through the earhole with micro tools.  Flap of skin cut and peeled back, micro chisel the bone growth off, lay the flap back down, pack with antibiotic ointment, He recommends 3 weeks out of the water but ycan maybe be back in 2, depends on how well you heal.  This surgery has no relationship with the ear flap method other then they are both done on the ear.  I believe I have about 17 years free ofno new ear bone growth even with continuing to surf frigid NorCal, with a hood and ear plugs now, however.  I've still got a nice glass tube of the bone growth he took out, looks like coral.  I had both ears done at the same time to save on surgery room costs, only problem was I couldn't hear real well for a week while the packing was in, had to turn the tv way up.  Oh, and the surgery took 6 hours, it's very delicate, make sure your Dr has done more than a few, don't be his training dummy.

I preferred both ears on one day but surgeon said I had to do it on two different days.  Glad to hear your doing good.

[SUPcheat]

Certainly in the jaws, chisels are great for removing bone in a reasonably controlled manner.  You can shave bone with a sharp chisel down to the base and peel the bone away from adhering epithelium. It's quick, too, with a practiced hand, and minimally traumatic.

Burs leave shavings and can damage adjacent tissue more easily.

I would go with the chisel technique when possible.

[LBsup]

Certainly in the jaws, chisels are great for removing bone in a reasonably controlled manner.  You can shave bone with a sharp chisel down to the base and peel the bone away from adhering epithelium. It's quick, too, with a practiced hand, and minimally traumatic.

Burs leave shavings and can damage adjacent tissue more easily.

I would go with the chisel technique when possible.

Good to hear. No pun intended.

[Zooport]

Had the chisel method done years ago by Dr Hertzel (?) in Santa Cruz, Ca.  He is the Dr that developed the technique. All done through the earhole with micro tools.  Flap of skin cut and peeled back, micro chisel the bone growth off, lay the flap back down, pack with antibiotic ointment, He recommends 3 weeks out of the water but ycan maybe be back in 2, depends on how well you heal.  This surgery has no relationship with the ear flap method other then they are both done on the ear.  I believe I have about 17 years free ofno new ear bone growth even with continuing to surf frigid NorCal, with a hood and ear plugs now, however.  I've still got a nice glass tube of the bone growth he took out, looks like coral.  I had both ears done at the same time to save on surgery room costs, only problem was I couldn't hear real well for a week while the packing was in, had to turn the tv way up.  Oh, and the surgery took 6 hours, it's very delicate, make sure your Dr has done more than a few, don't be his training dummy.

I preferred both ears on one day but surgeon said I had to do it on two different days.  Glad to hear your doing good.

Same with me.  Problem is you would be almost completely deaf for the first week and it would be several weeks before you could hear well.  It would be very uncomfortable and maybe dangerous.