Chronic ear discharge is one of the indications of mastoid surgery, however; this persistent discharge may be the outstanding feature of complicated surgery ““Discharging open mastoid cavityâ€. Discharging open mastoid cavity is defined as persistently discharging cavity following canal-wall down mastoidectomy for a period more than 3-6 months.The etiology of this discharging cavity is mutifactorial. This study focuses the light on the contributing factors of the persistence of ear discharge after canal-wall down mastoid surgery: surgical , bacteriological & structural ( Eustachian tube function).Fifty patients with discharging cavity & 40 patients with dry cavity were gathered from the outpatient department of Al-Najaf teaching hospital during the period between " October 2002- November 200 . They were evaluated for discharging open mastoid cavity after canal-wall down mastoidectomy & was found that this problem is mutifactorial in etiology both surgical & non-surgical. We concluded that meticulous surgical technique is essential to prevent such a complication, beside prompt follow up to ensure dry cavity postoperatively
