The 'Bondy operation', or modified Bondy radical mastoidectomy, consists of a modification of the radical procedure by which the mastoid and epitympanum are exteriorized with preservation of the pars tensa and ossicular chain. In the 10-year period from 1986 to 1996, 53 patients of the ENT Department of the University of Pisa underwent a modified Bondy radical mastoidectomy, performed with a personalized procedure; 45 of them had a follow up of at least five years. After the surgical operation, the ears were free of complications in 38 cases (84.5 per cent), while in the other seven cases residual cholesteatoma (one case), tympanic retraction (four cases) or recurrent otorrhoea and phlogosis (two cases) were observed. The post-operative hearing level was unchanged or improved in 41 patients (91 per cent) (33 subjects had an unchanged gap and eight an improved gap), and only in the remaining four cases was the gap made worse. Based on our experience, the modified Bondy radical mastoidectomy is an extremely effective operation with a clear place in modern ENT surgery. When performed on carefully selected patients, it has been proven to offer good functional and anatomical results.