Carrying out an atticotomy by leaving only a bony spike at the anterior buttress, through the enlarged external auditory canal. In fact, because this area, in most instances, is damaged by cholesteatoma, pathology dictates that this particular procedure must be executed.

A partial bridge atticotomy is mainly used in the surgery for chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma.

The intact bridge atticotomy has been completed and the temporal bone is ready for partial bridge atticotomy. The critical structures for orientation are indicated in the figure.

IBR: Intact bridge

MM: Manubrium mallei

ZR: Zygomatic root