Concierge otology · United Kingdom
Private mastoidectomy in the UK, by a consultant otologist.
Mastoid surgery is a serious operation on delicate anatomy. We match you to a named otologist who does it every week, with facial-nerve monitoring and the CT reviewed before you consent.
Why patients choose us
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A consultant otologist, in a real ear theatre
Not a general ENT list. A named otologist with a facial-nerve monitor, a proper microscope and a drill they use every week.
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Canal-wall-up considered before canal-wall-down
For the right ear we push for the technique that preserves hearing and anatomy - even if it means a planned look-back at 6–12 months.
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Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What a private mastoidectomy costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our partner hospitals. Send the details and we quote firm figures across two or three options.
In short
A cortical mastoidectomy in our network: £8,000–£12,000, home the day after.
| Procedure | Indicative range | Typical duration | Stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cortical (simple) mastoidectomy | £8,000–£12,000 | 2–3 hr GA | 1 night |
| Canal-wall-up tympanomastoidectomy | £11,000–£15,000 | 3–4 hr GA | 1 night |
| Canal-wall-down mastoidectomy | £11,000–£16,000 | 3–4 hr GA | 1–2 nights |
| Second-look procedure (CWU) | £6,000–£10,000 | 2 hr GA | 1 night |
| Ossiculoplasty add-on (PORP/TORP) | £1,500–£3,500 | Same visit | Included |
| Consultation and CT review | £250–£450 | 30–45 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by hospital, by which otologist does the case, and by whether reconstruction (tympanoplasty, ossiculoplasty) is done at the same visit. Mastoidectomy is NHS-funded when clinically indicated; private figures above are for self-pay or insured cases.
The problem
The right otologist, the right technique, the right time.
Mastoid surgery is the wrong operation to be a training case for. The two things that matter - surgeon volume and the choice between canal-wall-up and canal-wall-down - often are not on the table in a rushed consultation. We fix both.
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Not sure it is needed yet?
Some ears settle with topical treatment. A senior second opinion, with the CT in hand, is worth having before you consent to surgery.
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Worried about the facial nerve?
Facial-nerve monitoring should be routine in mastoid surgery, not an add-on. We only match you to teams where it is.
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Want reconstruction thought through?
Tympanoplasty, ossiculoplasty and a planned second-look are part of the plan from day one - not an afterthought.
The journey
From enquiry to recovery - what happens, in order.
One clinician from first message to the audiogram at 6–12 weeks - and the second-look, if that was the plan.
Phase 1 · Before your operation
Imaging, audiogram, planning
Phase 2 · Admission day
Theatre and overnight stay
Phase 3 · After
Aural care and review
- 01
Before
You tell us what is going on
A short, confidential form. Discharge, hearing loss, imaging you already have, and any facial-nerve or balance symptoms.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: cortical, canal-wall-up or canal-wall-down, whether reconstruction is planned, and an indicative price.
- 03
Before
Imaging and audiogram
A high-resolution CT of the temporal bones and a pure-tone audiogram are arranged first - the surgery is planned from these.
- 04
On the day
Arrival at the hospital
Admission, consent, and a chat with the otologist and anaesthetist. Facial-nerve monitor set up in theatre.
- 05
On the day
The operation itself
Two to four hours under GA. Postauricular incision, mastoid drilling under microscope, disease clearance, reconstruction as planned.
- 06
On the day
Overnight on the ward
One night in hospital is usual. A dressing over the ear, simple painkillers, and a check by the team before you go home.
- 07
After
Aural care and review
Packing removed at 1–2 weeks, audiogram and otoscopy at 6–12 weeks. No swimming for 6–12 weeks, no flying for 4–6.
Typical end-to-end: 3–4 weeks from enquiry to operation. Full healing: 6–12 weeks.
When it helps
When a mastoidectomy is the right operation.
The situations we see most, plus the red flag that means an emergency rather than an appointment.
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Chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma
A pocket of skin trapped in the middle ear and mastoid - destructive, and the commonest reason to operate.
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Chronic mastoiditis
Longstanding infection of the mastoid air cells that has not settled with antibiotics - now rare in the modern era.
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Complicated acute mastoiditis
A Bezold abscess, facial-nerve palsy, meningitis, sigmoid-sinus thrombosis or brain abscess - urgent surgery.
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Cochlear implant access
A cortical mastoidectomy is often the route through which a cochlear implant electrode is placed in the inner ear.
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Access for an acoustic neuroma
A translabyrinthine approach uses a mastoidectomy to reach the inner ear and remove the tumour - see keyhole craniotomy for the wider approach.
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Temporal-bone tumours
Paraganglioma or squamous carcinoma of the temporal bone may need mastoidectomy as part of resection.
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Failed previous CWU
Recurrent cholesteatoma or persistent disease after a canal-wall-up operation may need conversion to canal-wall-down.
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Red flag: facial palsy or meningism
A drooping face, severe headache, high fever or vertigo with an infected ear is an emergency - A&E the same day, not a clinic booking.
Procedure options
One name, several very different operations.
What each version of mastoid surgery actually involves - and which one fits which problem.
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Cortical (simple) mastoidectomy
Removes the mastoid air cells while preserving the posterior canal wall and middle-ear structures. For uncomplicated disease, drainage and cochlear-implant access.
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Canal-wall-up tympanomastoidectomy
Combined mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty. Preserves the posterior canal wall for better hearing - usually planned as two stages with a look-back at 6–12 months.
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Canal-wall-down mastoidectomy
Removes the posterior canal wall to create an open cavity. Lower recurrence in advanced disease and poor Eustachian function - larger cavity to look after long-term.
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Modified radical mastoidectomy
A canal-wall-down operation that preserves some middle-ear structures where possible, to keep whatever hearing can reasonably be kept.
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Radical mastoidectomy
Canal-wall-down plus removal of the ossicles and middle-ear mucosa. Rarely needed now - kept for advanced, unreconstructable disease.
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Petrous-apex approach
For cholesterol granuloma of the petrous apex. A specialist skull-base approach, usually via mastoidectomy and drainage.
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Ossiculoplasty (PORP / TORP)
Reconstruction of the ossicular chain with a partial or total prosthesis - added on where the disease has eroded the ossicles.
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Tympanoplasty at the same visit
Repair of the eardrum, from a straightforward myringoplasty to more advanced grafting of the middle-ear structures.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of otologists, we picked them.
Consultant otologists in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh. Not listed publicly - introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every otologist in our network.
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Consultant otologists, not general ENT lists
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Facial-nerve monitoring used routinely, not on request
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High-resolution CT of the temporal bones reviewed before surgery
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Reconstruction and second-look surgery arranged by the same team
Safety and recovery
What to expect afterwards - honestly.
Mastoidectomy is a serious but well-established operation. The things worth planning are the facial-nerve risk, the aural-care window, and knowing what is normal after.
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Facial-nerve injury is uncommon but real
With modern monitoring the risk is 0.5–2%. Weakness is usually temporary; permanent palsy is rare, and worth understanding before consent.
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Some sensorineural hearing loss can happen
Around 5% of cases have a small permanent drop in inner-ear hearing after mastoid surgery. Total deafness in the ear is rare.
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Dizziness for a few days is normal
Brief vertigo or unsteadiness in the first week is common and usually settles. Persistent vertigo needs a look, not a shrug.
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Taste change on that side
The chorda tympani nerve runs through the operative field. A metallic taste or dry mouth on the operated side is common and usually improves.
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Packing comes out at 1–2 weeks
Most packing is dissolvable; some is removed in clinic. You keep the ear dry until the eardrum and skin have healed.
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No swimming for 6–12 weeks, no flying for 4–6
Water and pressure changes are the two things to avoid while the ear settles. Diving is off-limits for longer.
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Canal-wall-down cavities need lifelong care
An open cavity needs periodic cleaning by an ENT team and lifelong water avoidance. It is a trade-off, not a failure.
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Recurrence is watched for on purpose
Residual cholesteatoma is found in 20–30% of CWU cases at the planned second-look - which is exactly why the second look is done.
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Red flags after surgery
A drooping face, high fever, neck stiffness, worsening vertigo or heavy bleeding are not normal - call the on-call ENT team or A&E the same day.
Reading your operation note
Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever technique was used, the note the otologist sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Surgical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Indication and technique chosen
Why the operation was done - cholesteatoma, complicated mastoiditis, cochlear implant access - and which technique was agreed with you.
- 02 Technique
Approach and reconstruction
Cortical, canal-wall-up or canal-wall-down, plus any tympanoplasty or ossiculoplasty (PORP or TORP) done at the same time.
- 03 Findings
Disease clearance and key structures
What disease was found, whether it was completely cleared, and the state of the facial nerve, ossicles, semicircular canals and dura.
- 04 Impression
Recovery, aural care, second-look plans
Read this first: dressings and drops, when packing comes out, water and flying rules, audiogram timing, and whether a second-look is planned.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Mastoidectomy is usually funded by UK insurers when clinically indicated. Cover for reconstruction and second-look surgery varies by policy - we confirm cover before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about mastoidectomy.
Quick answers on technique choice, cost, hearing, second-look surgery and long-term cavity care.
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Why would I need a mastoidectomy?
The commonest reason is a cholesteatoma - a pocket of skin trapped in the middle ear and mastoid that erodes bone. Other reasons include complicated acute mastoiditis, access for a cochlear implant, and removal of temporal-bone tumours.
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What is the difference between canal-wall-up and canal-wall-down?
Canal-wall-up preserves the back wall of the ear canal, keeps anatomy closer to normal, tends to preserve hearing better and usually needs a planned second-look at 6–12 months. Canal-wall-down removes that wall to create an open cavity - lower recurrence, but a larger cavity to look after for life and usually worse hearing.
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How much does a private mastoidectomy cost in the UK?
Roughly £8,000–£12,000 for a cortical mastoidectomy and £11,000–£16,000 for a canal-wall-up or canal-wall-down tympanomastoidectomy. Ossiculoplasty adds £1,500–£3,500. We confirm a firm figure within one working day.
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Will my hearing be better afterwards?
Sometimes, and honestly not always. The first job is to clear disease and make the ear safe; hearing preservation is second. Canal-wall-up preserves more hearing than canal-wall-down, but the disease dictates which is possible.
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What are the main risks?
Facial-nerve injury (0.5–2%, usually temporary), a small permanent sensorineural hearing loss (~5%), tinnitus, brief vertigo, taste change from the chorda tympani, and rarer complications such as CSF leak or sigmoid-sinus injury. Cavity problems long-term are the trade-off with canal-wall-down.
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How long is recovery?
Overnight in hospital, back to office work in 1–2 weeks, packing out at 1–2 weeks, no swimming for 6–12 weeks and no flying for 4–6 weeks. An audiogram and otoscopy are done at 6–12 weeks.
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Do I need a second operation?
For canal-wall-up cases a planned second-look at 6–12 months is standard, because residual disease is found in 20–30%. Canal-wall-down cases do not need a routine second-look but do need periodic cavity cleaning.
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When is a mastoidectomy an emergency?
Acute mastoiditis with a Bezold abscess, facial palsy, meningitis, sigmoid-sinus thrombosis or a brain abscess is a same-day emergency - via A&E, not a private clinic.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
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Meatoplasty of ear canal
Widening a canal-wall-down cavity for easier cleaning.
Learn more -
Ear reconstruction
Reconstructing the outer or middle ear after disease or injury.
Learn more -
Keyhole craniotomy
Translabyrinthine and skull-base approaches for acoustic neuroma.
Learn more -
All tests and procedures
Every test and procedure we arrange.
Learn more