Swimmers and surfers who have spent a lot of time in the water can develop bony growths in their ear canal called exostoses. When these grow, they can completely occlude the lumen of the ear canal leading to water trapping, ear infections and hearing loss. Surgery can be an effective treatment to widen the ear canal, and resolve the ear problems. The surgery is performed under the microscope either from behind the ear (postauricular), or down the ear canal (endaural).