Otology is a scientific field that studies normal and abnormal anatomy and ear physiology (hearing and vestibular sensory systems and associated structures and functions) and their disorders, diagnosis and treatment. Otological surgery usually refers to middle ear and mastoid surgery involving chronic otitis media, such as tympanoplastic surgery or ear drum surgery, osiculoplastic surgery or hearing bone surgery, and mastoidectomy. Otology also involves surgical treatment of conductive hearing loss, such as otosclerosis stapedectomy procedure.

Neurotology, a related area of medicine and an otolaryngology subspecialty, is the study of inner ear diseases which can lead to disorders of hearing and balance. Neurotological surgery usually refers to inner ear surgery or operation requiring penetration into the inner ear with risk to hearing and balance organs, including labyrinthectomy, cochlear implant operation, and temporal bone tumor surgery, such as intracranial acoustic neuromas. Neurotology is extended to include lateral skull base surgery to treat ear-related intracranial tumors and associated nerve and vascular structure such as large cerebellar pontine angle auditory neuromas, tumors of the glomus jugulare and facial nerve tumors.