TECA BO (Total Ear Canal Ablation with Lateral Bulla Osteotomy)

Total Ear Canal Ablation or TECA is used to describe a procedure used to manage severe canal or middle ear disease in dogs where other methods of treatment have failed. The full name of the procedure is Total Ear Canal Ablation with Lateral Bulla Osteotomy (TECA + LBO) but most commonly called TECA BO.

Sometimes an ear infection is simply hopeless. Perhaps the organism growing is too resistant for treatment, the ear canal is so scarred and narrowed that external cleaning is a useless activity or the ear canal has actually mineralized from chronic irritation. The bottom line is that this degree of irreversible disease requires surgical treatment. In such cases, all the diseased tissue: the entire ear canal, bones of the middle ear etc. are simply removed, the middle ear is drained, and the healthy tissue around the ear is closed. The operation involves the removal of the entire ear canal. The outside part of the ear (the pinna) and the hearing organ (inner ear) itself are left in position. Following removal of the diseased ear canal, part of the bony wall of the tympanic bulla (middle ear) is also removed to facilitate removal of infected material from the middle ear chamber. 

How much does a TECA BO cost?

The all inclusive fee is $3,520.00 (unilateral) $4,420.00 (bilateral)

This includes:

• Intake Physical Examination
• Pre-Anesthetic Bloodwork: CBC, full chemistry panel, clotting profile when indicated
• EKG
• I.V. Catheter
• I.V. Fluids
• Pre-Anesthetic analgesia drugs
• Anesthesia induction drugs tailored to the individual patient
• Preoperative imaging (CT scan)
• Anesthesia Maintenance on isoflurane
• Anesthesia monitoring by: EKG, CO2 end tidal, O2 saturation, Blood pressure, body temperature
• TECA BO Surgery
• Post-surgical recovery monitoring
• Hospitalization as required
• Take home medications
• Recheck appointments