耳内镜下应用岛状软骨-软骨膜复合体对干湿耳行I型鼓室成形术的疗效分析

目的　探讨耳内镜下岛状软骨-软骨膜复合体对干湿耳状态下的疗效差异。方法　回顾性分析中国科学院大学宁波华美医院耳鼻咽喉科收治的慢性化脓性中耳炎静止期患者,分为干耳组和湿耳组,均在耳内镜下用岛状软骨-软骨膜复合体以内置法行鼓室成形术,观察比较两组患者术后并发症、鼓膜愈合率及术后6个月听力。结果　干耳组鼓膜愈合28例,湿耳组鼓膜愈合26例,愈合率没有统计 学意义（χ2=0.185,P =0.667）。术后6个月干耳组平均气导由术前（39.19±5.04）dB HL提高至（27.86±4.18）dB HL（P<0.05）,平均气骨导差由术前（18.76±3.05）dB HL下降至（11.06±2.68）dB HL（P<0.05）,湿耳组平均气导由术前（38.24±3.77）dB HL提高至（29.17±4.76）dB HL（P<0.05）,平均气骨导差由术前（19 . 81±3 . 2 7）dBHL下降至（12.01±4.04）dB HL（P<0.05）,而两组听力提高程度并无明显差异（P =0.287）。结论　耳内镜下应用岛状软骨-软骨膜复合体在干耳或湿耳状态下行I型鼓室成形术均能改善听力和修复鼓膜。     

耳内镜分离前壁皮瓣修复鼓膜前下象限边缘性穿孔的疗效分析

目的探讨耳内镜下分离前下皮瓣修补鼓膜前下象限边缘性穿孔的临床疗效和应用价值。方法对资料完整的13例鼓膜前下象限边缘性穿孔患者的临床资料进行回顾性分析。对比患者手术前后纯音听阈和耳内镜结果，计算气骨导差及气骨导差改善值。结果术后3个月复查，耳内镜下所有患者鼓膜完整。平均气导为（16.0±15.64）dB，骨导为（12.16±11.92）dB，气骨导差为（3.83±3.73）dB，术后3个月的气骨导差明显小于术前(P<0.05)。结论耳内镜下分离前下皮瓣修补鼓膜前下象限穿孔，具有简单，微创，愈合率高的特点，值得临床推广。     

耳内镜下双侧同期鼓室成形术的临床观察

目的　探讨耳内镜下双侧同期鼓室成形术的临床疗效及应用价值。方法　回顾分析在我科行耳内镜下双侧同期鼓室成形术的14例患者临床资料，共28耳，其中单 纯型慢性化脓性中耳炎16耳，慢性化脓性中耳炎伴鼓室硬化症8耳，中耳胆脂瘤4耳；共完成鼓室成形术I型20耳，鼓室成形术II型7耳，鼓室成形术III型1耳；术后观察分析鼓膜愈合及听力改善情况。结果　术后复查12～24个月，14例（28耳）患者鼓膜移植物均成活，27耳穿孔鼓膜完全愈合，愈合率96.4%；1耳遗留小穿孔，于二次局麻下手术处理后愈合。28耳术前气导听阈为（55.4±21.6）dB HL，术后气导听阈为（35.5±16.4）dB HL（t =11.234，P＜0.05）；术前气骨导差为（29.3±10.3）dB HL，术后气骨导差为（11.3±3.9）dB HL（t =10.752，P＜0.05）。结论　耳内镜下鼓室成形术可获得较高的手术成功率，取得良好的听力改善效果，双侧同期手术可节省医患人力、物力资源。     

耳内镜下经外耳道切除上鼓室胆脂瘤35例疗效分析

目的探讨耳内镜下经外耳道入路治疗上鼓室胆脂瘤的可行性、手术方法及疗效。方法回顾分析2014年1月～2017年1月在徐州市中心医院接受耳内镜手术的35例（35耳）中耳上鼓室胆脂瘤患者的临床资料。35例患者中男20例，女15例；年龄22～66岁，平均年龄42.8岁；病程2～20个月，平均10个月。所有患者均在全麻耳内镜下手术，根据胆脂瘤大小决定手术范围。12例行上鼓室重建，10耳听骨链破坏或缺失者，行部分人工听骨重建（partial ossicular replacement prosthesis，PORP）。结果35耳上鼓室胆脂瘤病灶均彻底清除，未出现面瘫及脑脊液漏等并发症。所有患者术后随访1年以上，患者鼓膜愈合良好，移植物形态良好。耳内镜检查或者颞骨薄层CT检查未见胆脂瘤复发，术后听力提高22例（62.8%），听力无变化10例（28.6%），听力下降3例（8.6%），平均气导听阈与气骨导差均有改善，术后0.5、1、2、4 kHz平均气导听阈为（29.234±8.38）dB，与术前的（43.64±8.38）dB比较差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）；术后0.5、1、2、4 kHz平均气骨导差值为（15.27±6.74）dB，与术前的（28.27±5.94）dB比较差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论耳内镜下经外耳道上鼓室胆脂瘤切除术是有效的手术方法，复发率低，听力改善明显，与传统显微镜手术相比有优越性。     

湿耳与干耳条件下行Ⅰ型鼓室成形术后鼓膜愈合率的差异及鼓膜残缘的病理特点

目的比较湿耳与干耳两种条件下行Ⅰ型鼓室成形术后鼓膜愈合率的差异,以及两种状态下鼓膜残缘的病理特点。方法将2017年1月—2018年12月就诊、需要行Ⅰ型鼓室成形术的慢性化脓性中耳炎患者纳入研究。术前由两名耳科医师根据纳入及排除标准独立判定鼓膜的干、湿状态。最终纳入研究对象82例,其中试验组（湿耳）31例,对照组（干耳）51例。比较两组术中鼓膜残缘的病理图像及术后3个月两组的鼓膜愈合率。结果试验组鼓膜完全愈合患者29例（93.5%）,对照组鼓膜完全愈合患者48例（94.1%）,两组鼓膜愈合率差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）,试验组鼓膜残缘拥有更多扩张的毛细血管及炎性细胞的浸润。结论慢性化脓性中耳炎患者可以尝试在湿耳状态下行Ⅰ型鼓室成形术,湿耳状态下鼓膜残缘毛细血管扩张及炎性细胞浸润明显,有利于鼓膜的愈合。     

耳内镜下经耳道入路中耳胆脂瘤手术疗效分析

目的　探讨耳内镜下经耳道入路中耳胆脂瘤手术的可行性及疗效。方法　回顾性分析2016年12月～2018年12月我科58例中耳胆脂瘤患者采用耳内镜下经外耳道 入路鼓室探查术+鼓室成形术+/- 改良乳突根治术,观察术后3个月鼓膜愈合率,比较术前及术后3个月平均气导听阈及气骨导差。结果　58例患者术后3 个月鼓 膜愈合56例（占96.55%）,因感染继发性穿孔2例（占3.45%）,均在门诊耳内镜下处理后完全愈合。58例患者术前平均气导听阈（49.02±20.06）dB HL,术后3个月平均气导听阈（35.58±15.68）dB HL,两者比较差异有统计学意义（t =5.65,P＜0.05）。58例患者术前平均气骨导差（34.40±28.10）dB HL,术后3个月平均气骨导差（18.32±10.63）dB HL,两者比较差异有统计学意义（t =13.10,P＜0.05）。术后无1例严重感音神经性聋,无面瘫及眩晕并发症。结论　耳内镜下经外耳道入路中耳胆脂瘤手术具有可行性高、手术时间较短、术中出血量少、术后干耳时间短、术后鼓膜愈合率高、听力改善效果良好、并发症少等优点。     

耳内镜下软骨膜-软骨岛在鼓膜修补术中应用的效果分析

目的　探讨耳内镜下软骨膜-软骨岛在鼓膜修补术中应用的疗效。方法　回顾性分析2017年1月～2018年7月86例行鼓膜修补术的慢性中耳炎静止期患者,按随机数字表法随机分为观察组和对照组。观察组43例,使用软骨膜-软骨岛移植物行鼓膜修补术;对照组43例,使用全厚软骨-软骨膜移植物行鼓膜修补术。对比两组术前穿孔部位、穿孔大小、手术后鼓膜愈合率、术后6个月平均气导听阈及气骨导差。结果　对照组鼓膜愈合35例（81.4%）,再穿孔8例（18.6%）;观察组鼓膜愈合41例（95.3%）,再穿孔2例（4.7%）,两组鼓膜愈合率比较,差异有统计学意义（χ2=5.237,P＜0.05）。术后6个月纯音听阈检查,对照组平均气导听阈（33.54±4.81）dB HL,骨气导差（14.05±5.72）dB HL;观察组平均气导听阈（28.84±2.53）dB HL,骨气导差（9.40±2.77）dB HL,两组听力均较术前提高,两组间比较平均气导听阈和气骨导差的差异均有统计学意义（t =5.347、4.516,P 均＜0.05）。结论　耳内镜下软骨膜-软骨岛行鼓膜修补术鼓膜愈合率高,术后听力改善更显著,是一种有效的鼓膜修补方法。     

耳内镜下鼓室探查和鼓室成形术可行性及疗效分析

目的　探讨耳内镜下鼓室探查和鼓室成形术治疗中耳常见病变的可行性及疗效。方法　30例耳漏伴听力下降患者,包括慢性单纯性中耳炎12例、粘连性中耳炎5例、鼓室硬化6例、中耳胆脂瘤7例。均行耳内镜下鼓室探查+鼓室成形术,根据病变情况行病变清除、外耳道重建、听骨链重建、鼓膜成形等。观察患者鼓膜愈合率、干耳率、听力效果等。结果　28例患者鼓膜修复良好,愈合率93.3%,2例遗留小穿孔,经搔刮穿孔边缘后愈合,均达到干耳。术前平均气导（52.41±19.89）dB,术后（38.11±18.36）dB,差异有统计学意义（t =9.221,P =0.000）;术前平均骨导（19.93±16.31）dB,术后（20.21±16.22）dB,差异无统计学意义（t =-2.623,P =0.014）;术前平均气骨导差（32.49±10.74）dB,术后（17.81±9.42）dB,差异有统计学意义（t =9.730,P =0.000）。对不同疾病分组,各组间术前的平均气导、骨导及气骨导差之间比较,差异均无统计学意义。各组间术后平均气导、骨导及气骨导差之间比较,差异均无统计学意义。30例患者保留鼓索神经21例,占70%;术后面瘫0例;术后眩晕3例,均为轻度;术后骨导明显提高者0例。结论　耳内镜手术适应证广,适应于各种中耳疾病,总体效果满意。耳内镜下手术具有微创、美观等特点,去除骨质较少,易于重建修复。耳内镜下外耳道、中耳手术具有良好的安全性及有效性,值得推广。     

听骨链畸形患者的听力学特征及耳内镜手术效果

目的　探讨听骨链畸形患者的听力学特征和耳内镜手术效果分析。方法　对35例（38耳）听骨链畸形患者行手术前后纯音听力测试,并对听骨链畸形根据Cremers Classification分型,对各个分型进行听力学特征分析。35例（38耳）均在耳内镜下进行手术,其中13耳行人工镫骨置换术,17耳行鼓室成形Ⅱ型术,8耳行鼓室成形Ⅲ型术。通过比较手术前后气骨导差变化来分析术后效果。结果　析35例（38耳）听骨链畸形患者的纯音测听。结果,2000 Hz骨导听阈处有明显听阈下降。35例（38耳）听骨链畸形患者,11耳为镫骨底板固定（Ⅱa）,占29.0%,平均气骨导差为（44.6±7.5）dB HL。2耳为镫骨底板固定伴砧镫关节假连接或固定（Ⅱb）,占5.3%,平均气骨导差为（42.9±8.9）dB HL。17耳为镫骨畸形但底板可活动（Ⅲa）,占44.7%,平均气骨导差为（37.8±9.7）dB HL;4耳为镫骨底板可活动但伴砧镫关节假连接或固定（Ⅲb）,约占10.5%,平均气骨导差为（34.1±10.6）dB HL;4耳为镫骨底板可活动但锤砧关节假连接或固定（Ⅲc）,约占10.5%,平均气骨导差为（39.0±7.8）dB HL。耳内镜术后3个月,行人工镫骨置换术者平均气骨导差为（21.0±11.4）dB HL,较术前缩小（24.0±11.1）dB HL;行Ⅱ型鼓室成形术者平均气骨导差为（17.1±10.5）dB HL,较术前缩小（20.0±8.3）dB HL;行Ⅲ型鼓室成形术者平均气骨导差为（22.0±14.1）dB HL,较 术前缩小（20.0±13.0）dB HL。结论　先天性听骨链畸形患者的纯音测听结果中,2000 Hz骨导听阈有明显的听阈下降,在听力图上呈现与耳硬化症相似的V型切迹形状。先天性听骨链畸形分型中,先天性镫骨底板活动伴听小骨畸形为常见。采用耳内镜下不同手术方法进行治疗可明显提高听力,缩小气骨导差。     

耳后进路-夹层法鼓膜成形术（附285例疗效分析）

目的分析慢性化脓性中耳炎及外伤性鼓膜穿孔患者行耳后进路-夹层法鼓膜成形术后的疗效。方法回顾性分析285例（308耳）行耳后进路-夹层法鼓膜成形术患者的临床资料。结果术后随访281耳（91．23％）鼓膜愈合，287耳（93．18％）术后气骨导差值在15dBHL以内；213耳术后气骨导差缩小≥15dBHL（包括15dB）听力提高69．16％，21耳术前、术后气骨导差值未改善（仍在15-30dBHL之间），占6．82％。无耳鸣、面瘫等严重并发症出现。结论慢性化脓性中耳炎和外伤性鼓膜穿孔患者行耳后进路-夹层法鼓膜成形术后鼓膜愈合率高，多数患者听力改善。     

耳内镜与显微镜下Ⅰ型鼓室成形术的临床疗效分析

目的 探讨耳内镜与显微镜下Ⅰ型鼓室成形术治疗鼓膜穿孔患者的临床疗效。方法 收集2017年1月-2020年10月因慢性化脓性中耳炎行Ⅰ型鼓室成形术122例（122耳）,其中耳内镜下Ⅰ型鼓室成形术（ETT）62例;显微镜下Ⅰ型鼓室成形术（MTT）60例。所有患者术后均随访6个月以上,比较两组患者术中出血量、鼓索神经损伤率、手术时间、术后出院时间、住院费用,鼓膜愈合情况,对手术前与术后6个月的平均气导听阈（PTA）,气骨导差（ABG）进行分析,采用视觉模拟评分（VAS）评估患者术后24h疼痛反应。结果 ETT组具有术中出血量少、手术时间短、术后疼痛反应轻、出院时间缩短、住院总费用少等优越性,两组差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。ETT和MTT组中鼓膜愈合率分别为93.5%和90.0%,鼓索神经损伤率分别为6.5%和8.3%;ETT组术前PTA为（43.2±11.3）dB、AGB为（19.8±8.6）dB,MTT组术前PTA为（45.6±12.1）dB,AGB为（21.3±9.4）dB。术后6个月复查PTA两组均下降,ETT组为（33.7±8.3）dB,MTT组为（35.3±9.1）dB;复查ABG两组均下降,ETT组为（9.4±6.1）dB,MTT组为（10.7±6.4）dB。两组术式差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论 与MTT相比,ETT能明显减轻术后疼痛、缩短手术时间、住院时间,减少总住院费。在术后穿孔修补、听力改善以及并发症等方面与传统手术MTT疗效相当,值得在中耳手术中推广使用。     

Bilateral myringoplasty in chronic otitis media

OBJECTIVE: A theoretical risk of iatrogenic sensorineural hearing loss (HL) during surgery has induced a reluctance to perform bilateral myringoplasty/tympanoplasty type I among some otosurgeons. This paper presents results of bilateral surgery in 26 patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-six patients with bilateral, dry tympanic membrane perforations caused by chronic otitis media were selected prospectively for bilateral myringoplasty/tympanoplasty type I (52 ears) at a tertiary referral center. All patients had a HL corresponding to the size and localization of the perforation (no suspicion of ossicular chain defect or other pathology). Mean age was 13.3 years, and the male to female ratio was 1.36. All but one ear were operated through a transcanal approach, and the onlay technique was used most frequently (83%), with use of fascia (56%), tragal perichondrium (38%), or cartilage palisades (6%) as graft material. Follow-up examination and hearing tests (pure tone and speech audiometry) were performed at a mean of 13.8 months after surgery. RESULTS: Perforation closure was obtained in 49 (94%) of the 52 ears. Hearing improved significantly, and the air-bone gap was significantly reduced. The air-bone gap was closed to within 10 dB in 92% and within 20 dB in 100% of the ears. Surprisingly good hearing was found during postoperative, bilateral ear canal gauze packing. Iatrogenic sensorineural HL did not occur. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that bilateral myringoplasty is safe, with good results, reduces costs, and leaves the patient satisfied. The hearing impairment during postoperative ear canal packing is surprisingly modest and readily acceptable by the patients.     

Comparison of anterior and posterior tympanomeatal flap elevations in endoscopic transcanal tympanoplasty

Background: There is not an ideal tympanomeatal flap incision type for transcanal procedures.

Aims/Objectives: Comparing the outcomes and feasibility of posteriorly and anteriorly based tympanomeatal flap incisions for anterior perforations in endoscopic transcanal cartilage tympanoplasty.

Material and methods: Twenty-six patients who had anterior TM perforation were included. Patients were divided into two groups with randomization. All of the data were prospectively collected. These included demographic data, date of the surgery, mean surgery time, preoperative and postoperative sixth-month pure-tone audiometry (PTA), type of tympanomeatal flap incision and graft healing success.

Results: Mean follow up time was 20.69?±?5.03 months. Graft healing rate was 100% in both groups. There was no major complication in both of groups. Mean air bone gap level improvement of (dB HL) at all frequencies was 7.69?±?2.83?dB HL in group 1 and 7.98?±?3.08?dB HL in group 2 respectively. Regarding pre-and postoperative mean air bone gap levels and mean surgery times, there was no significant difference between groups (p>.05).

Conclusions and significance: For non-complicated anterior perforations that are less than 50% of TM, endoscopic transcanal cartilage tympanoplasty using anterior tympanomeatal flap elevation procedure was seemed minimally invasive and feasible to perform with successful audiologic and postoperative outcomes.     

Pediatric tympanoplasty: effect of contralateral ear status on outcomes

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prognostic value of different variables on the outcome of pediatric type I tympanoplasty. DESIGN: Retrospective review of medical records. SETTING: An otolaryngology department in a large urban tertiary care medical center. PATIENTS: We reviewed 72 ears in 60 patients who had undergone a type I tympanoplasty from 1987 to 2000. Patient ages ranged from 3 to 18 years. INTERVENTIONS: Type I tympanoplasty. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We identified the following 3 criteria for success: (1) healing of the neotympanic graft; (2) healing of the graft with a postoperative air-bone gap of no greater than 20 dB; and (3) healing of the graft with aeration of the middle ear space. RESULTS: Healing occurred in 59 (82%) of the 72 neotympanic grafts; 39 (83%) of the 47 healed ears for which a postoperative audiogram was available had an air-bone gap of no greater than 20 dB; and 49 (83%) of the 59 healed ears had a normally aerated middle ear space. A statistically significant difference in the rate of graft healing was identified for large perforations (76%), as well as for creation of an aerated middle ear space, when there was evidence of ongoing contralateral eustachian tube dysfunction (ie, otitis media with effusion or negative middle ear pressure, but not a perforation). CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric type I tympanoplasty can offer reasonably good chances for postoperative graft healing, serviceable hearing, and creation of an air-containing middle ear space if performed in carefully selected patients. Caution should be exercised in performing tympanoplasty in children with evidence of ongoing eustachian tube dysfunction, as evidenced by otitis media with effusion and negative middle ear pressure, but not perforations, in the contralateral ear.     

Results of endoscopic cartilage tympanoplasty procedure with limited tympanomeatal flap incision

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of this minimally invasive tympanomeatal incision technique performed during endoscopic transcanal cartilage tympanoplasty.

Study design: Prospective clinical study.

Methods: Eighty-seven patients (87 ears) who had TM perforation with noncomplicated COM were included. All of the patients were operated with the endoscopic transcanal cartilage tympanoplasty technique. All of the data were prospectively collected. These included demographic data, date of the surgery, preoperative and postoperative pure-tone audiometry (PTA), localization of TM perforation and graft healing success.

Results: Mean follow-up time was 14.76?±?4.32 months. Graft-healing rate was 100%. Mean air bone gap level improvement (dB HL) at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4?kHz were 13.87?±?7.30?dB HL, 9.09?±?7.59?dB HL, 9.74?±?6.40?dB HL and 7.46?±?6.37?dB HL, respectively. At all frequencies, there was significant difference between pre and postoperative mean air bone gap levels (p?p?>?.05).

Conclusions: Endoscopic ear surgery has successful surgical outcomes with low complication rates. In this study, the outcomes of limited tympanomeatal flap incision was discussed. It is suggested that this technique is reliable with good hearing results with low postoperative complications rates.     

Comparison of different tympanic membrane reconstruction techniques in type I tympanoplasty

The objective of the study was to assess the functional results after type I tympanoplasty with temporal muscle fascia, perichondrium/cartilage island and cartilage palisades. The records of 120 patients who underwent type I tympanoplasty operation between January 2003 and June 2007 were retrospectively reviewed. This study aimed to comprise a homogeneous group of patients to make the comparisons as accurate as possible. For this purpose, primary tympanoplasty cases with subtotal perforations, intact ossicular chain, dry ear for a period of at least 1 month, and normal middle ear mucosa were included in the study. Patients younger than 15 years of age and patients with cholesteatoma were excluded. Temporal muscle fascia was used in 67 (55.8%), perichondrium/cartilage island flap was used in 34 (28.3%), and cartilage palisades were used in 19 (15.8%) of the patients. Pre- and postoperative otoscopic examinations, pure-tone averages, and air-bone gaps were compared pre and postoperatively. Concerning all of the cases, the graft take rate was 85% (102/120). In the perichondrium/cartilage island flap group, the graft take rate was 97.7%, whereas the graft take rates for the fascia group and cartilage palisades group were 80.6 and 79.0%, respectively. In the perichondrium/cartilage island flap group, the pure-tone average was 36.36 dB, whereas the pure-tone averages for the fascia group and cartilage palisades group were 36.07 and 39.79 dB, preoperatively. The postoperative pure-tone averages were 24.54 dB fort he perichondrium/cartilage island flap group, 24.51 dB for the fascia group and 23.23 dB for the cartilage palisades group. Cartilage grafting is not only more enduring against infection and negative middle ear pressure but also it has low re-perforation rates on long-term follow-up. Thus, cartilage may be preferred more often for primary tympanoplasties with high graft rate and hearing improvement.     

内镜下潜水磨骨在上鼓室切开的应用

目的探讨耳内镜下潜水磨骨在开放上鼓室的临床应用价值。方法 40例中耳胆脂瘤患者耳内镜下使用液泵冲水电钻持续潜水磨骨开放上鼓室(A组),21例耳内镜下注射器滴水电钻间断磨骨开放上鼓室(B组),所有病例I期完成胆脂瘤清理鼓室成型及听骨重建。结果上鼓室切开手术时间:A组为(7.03±1.87)min,B组为(20.73±5.52)min,两组之间有统计学差别(t=-14.391,P<0.001),平均速度:A组为(2/1.06±0.04)mm/min,B组为(2/2.67±0.41)mm/min,差异具有统计学意义(t=-25.120,P<0.001)。61例病患术后随诊1-6个月,鼓膜一期愈合,形态良好,无穿孔及内陷,修补成功率100%,术后干耳时间超过1个月:A组为96%,B组为94%,差异无统计学意义(Fisher确切概率法,P=1.000)。61例病患听力重建成功,胆脂瘤无残留及复发。术后6个月A组平均气导听阈均提高(20.13±2.54)dBHL,B组平均气导听阈均提高(21.09±1.98)dBHL,差异无统计学意义(t=-1.483,P=0.144)。结论耳内镜下使用液泵冲水电钻持续潜水磨骨开放上鼓室省时明确,连续水中作业磨骨,省时省力,装置简易,具有良好应用价值。     

Hearing Results With Cartilage Tympanoplasty

Cartilage has shown promise as a graft material to close perforations in the tympanic membrane (TM), particularly in cases of advanced middle ear pathology. Although it is similar to fascia, its more rigid quality tends to resist resorption and retraction. However, it is this rigid quality that has led many to anticipate a significant conductive hearing loss when using cartilage to reconstruct the TM. Because little has been reported in the literature comparing hearing results using cartilage with results using other grafting materials, this retrospective study was conducted to compare the hearing results of patients with cartilage tympanoplasty with results in patients who underwent revision tympanoplasty using perichondrium. Both series of patients had undergone type I tympanoplasty, and the middle ear pathology was considered to be similar between the two groups. TM closure was achieved in all 22 patients undergoing cartilage reconstruction, but three of the 20 patients undergoing perichondrium reconstruction had a recurrent perforation during the follow-up period (approximately 1 year). The average pre- and postoperative puretone average air-bone gap (PTA-ABG) was 21.1 dB and 6.8 dB for the cartilage group and 17.9 dB and 7.7 dB for the perichondrium group, respectively. These gains in hearing were statistically significant (P < 0.001 in each case), but there was no statistically significant difference in hearing results between the two groups. Analysis of the PTA-ABG as a function of percentage of TM reconstructed showed no statistically significant difference in hearing results due to percentage of cartilage used. These results indicate that cartilage tympanoplasty offers the possibility of a rigorous TM reconstruction with excellent postoperative hearing results.     

Comparison of endoscopic transcanal and microscopic approach in Type 1 tympanoplasty

IntroductionEndoscopic tympanoplasty is a minimally invasive surgery that may be performed via a solely transcanal approach. The use of endoscopes in otologic procedures has been increasing worldwide. The endoscopic approach facilitates the transcanal tympanoplasty, even in patients having the narrow external ear canal with an anterior wall protrusion.ObjectivesThe present study aimed to compare the surgical and audiological outcomes of endoscopic transcanal and conventional microscopic approach in Type 1 tympanoplasty.MethodsThe graft success rates, hearing outcomes, complications, and duration of surgery in patients who underwent endoscopic and microscopic tympanoplasty between October 2015 and April 2018 were retrospectively analysed.ResultsGraft success rates were 94.8 per cent and 92.9 per cent for the endoscopic and microscopic group, respectively (p > 0.05). Postoperative air-bone gap values were improved significantly in both groups (p < 0.001). The average duration of surgery was significantly shorter in the endoscopic group (mean 34.9 min) relative to the microscopic group (mean 52.7 min) (p < 0.05). The average hospitalization period was 5.2 h (range 3–6 h) in Group I whereas it was 26.1 h (range 18–36 h) in Group II (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe endoscopic transcanal tympanoplasty approach is a reasonable alternative to conventional microscopic tympanoplasty in the treatment of chronic otitis media, with comparable graft success rates and hearing outcomes.     

Clinical advantages of cartilage palisades over temporalis fascia in type I tympanoplasty

Objective

To compare the post-operative outcomes in using temporalis fascia and full thickness broad cartilage palisades as graft in type I tympanoplasty.

Methods

This study, conducted at a tertiary referral institute, included 90 consecutive patients with mucosal type chronic otitis media requiring type I tympanoplasty with a 60/30 distribution of cases with fascia and cartilage palisades, respectively. The fascia group consisted of primary cases in adults and excluded revision cases, near-total or total perforations and pediatric cases. The cartilage group included pediatric, revision cases and near-total or total perforations. The fascia group utilized the underlay technique for grafting, whereas the cartilage group used tragal full thickness broad cartilage palisades with perichondrium attached on one side placed in an underlay or over-underlay manner. Post-operative graft take-up and hearing outcomes were evaluated after 6 months and 1 year with subjective assessment and pure tone audiometry.

Results

The graft take-up rate was 83.3% in the fascia group and 90% in the cartilage palisade group. The mean pure tone air–bone gaps pre- and post-operatively in the fascia group were 30.43 ± 5.75 dB and 17.5 ± 6.94 dB, respectively, whereas for the cartilage group, these values were 29 ± 6.21 dB and 7.33 ± 3.88 dB, respectively.

Conclusion

Cartilage grafting with full thickness palisades is more effective than fascia as graft material, particularly in “difficult” tympanoplasties fraught with higher failure rates otherwise.