A tympanometric comparison of tympanoplasty with cartilage palisades or fascia after surgery for tensa cholesteatoma in children

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study is to compare the tympanometric and functional findings of cartilage palisade tympanoplasty with those of tympanoplasty with temporalis fascia grafting after one-stage surgery in children with tensa cholesteatoma. STUDY DESIGN: In children aged 5 to 15 years (mean, 9.5 years) with tensa cholesteatoma, cartilage palisade tympanoplasty was performed in 32 ears and fascia tympanoplasty in 29 ears. Tympanometry was performed in 31 ears with cartilage palisade tympanoplasty (the palisade group) and 28 ears with fascia tympanoplasty (the fascia group) at follow-up a median of 48 months after surgical removal of the cholesteatoma (range, 3-75 months). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Postoperative perforations, tympanometric parameters (tympanogram type, compliance, tympanometric width), and hearing. RESULTS: All postoperative re-perforations occurred in the fascia group. However, there was no difference between the palisade group and the fascia group in terms of tympanometric parameters, nor between the two groups when dividing into tensa retraction and sinus cholesteatoma subgroups. When comparing the types of tympanoplasty, the type II group reconstructed with cartilage palisades contained a higher number of ears with a normal compliance (0.2-1.6 mL) but a higher number of ears with a tympanometric width of more than 150 mmH2O. Regarding the number of ears with normal tympanometries, there was no significant difference between the palisade and the fascia group. The late functional hearing results were better in ears reconstructed with cartilage palisades, with functional success in 71%, compared with 54% in the group with fascia grafting. This difference in functional results was particularly pronounced in ears with an abnormal tympanogram (68% vs. 29%). CONCLUSION: Compared to fascia grafting, the present study showed better late functional hearing results after drum reconstruction using cartilage palisades, despite comparable tympanometric findings. Cartilage palisade reconstruction seems to provide better functional results, especially in ears with a poor tubal function, which is the common situation after cholesteatoma surgery.     

A comparison of cartilage palisades and fascia in tympanoplasty after surgery for sinus or tensa retraction cholesteatoma in children.

OBJECTIVE: To compare cartilage palisades with fascia grafting in reconstruction of the eardrum after surgery for sinus or tensa retraction cholesteatoma in children, with respect to postoperative drum retraction and perforation, cholesteatoma recurrence, and hearing. MATERIAL: From March 1995 to October 2000, a total of 64 children, aged 5 to 15 years, underwent surgery for either sinus or tensa retraction cholesteatoma. The eardrum was reconstructed using cartilage palisades in 32 children and fascia or perichondrium in 32 children. Postoperatively, the patients were seen as out-patients and were recently reevaluated by otomicroscopy and audiometry. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Postoperative drum retraction and perforation, cholesteatoma recurrence, and hearing (pure tone average, speech reception threshold, and air-bone gap). RESULTS: All patients in the palisade group and all but one patient in the fascia group attended the follow-up examination. In the palisade group, the mean follow-up period was 37 months (range, 3-65 mo) and in the fascia group 52 months (range, 17-75 mo).Two (6%) retractions and no perforations were found in the palisade group, versus 12 (36%) retractions and 4 perforations (12%) in the fascia group at follow-up (both significant differences). No cholesteatoma recurrence occurred. Late hearing results in sinus cholesteatomas were significantly better in the palisade group. CONCLUSIONS: The comparison of fascia and cartilage palisade grafting for drum reconstruction after tensa cholesteatoma surgery in children indicates that the palisade technique may be superior in respect to prevention of drum retraction and perforation. Further, in sinus cholesteatoma surgery, the long-term hearing results are better when grafting cartilage palisades.     

Combined Heermann and Tos (CHAT) technique in cholesteatoma surgery: surgical technique and preliminary results

The combined Heermann and Tos (CHAT) technique is the combination of Heermann's 'cartilage palisade tympanoplasty' and Tos's 'modified combined approach tympanoplasty = modified intact canal wall mastoidectomy'. The first author (Cem Uzun) performed the CHAT technique as a one-stage operation in 15 ears of 15 patients with cholesteatoma. Two patients (one with a follow up of less than six months and one who did not show up at the final re-evaluation) were excluded from the study. Median age in the remaining 13 patients was 37 years (range: 14-57 years). Cholesteatoma type was attic, sinus (Tos tensa type 1) and tensa retraction (Tos tensa type 2) in six, five and two ears, respectively. Cholesteatoma stage was Saleh and Mills stage 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in one, three, four, four and one ear, respectively. The eustachian tube was not involved with cholesteatoma in any ear. After drilling of the superoposterior bony annulus, transcanal atticotomy with preservation of thin bridge and cortical mastoidectomy with intact canal wall, the cholesteatoma was removed, and the eardrum and atticotomy were reconstructed with palisades of auricular cartilage. Type I tympanoplasty was performed in two ears, type II in nine ears and type III (stapes absent) in two ears, with either autologous incus (eight cases), cortical bone (two) or auricular cartilage (one). No complication occurred before, during or after surgery. Oto-microscopy and audiometry were done before and at a median of 13 months after surgery (mean 14 months, range 7-30 months). There was no sign of residual or recurrent cholesteatoma in any patient during the follow-up period. At the final examination, all ears were dry and had an intact eardrum except one with a small, central hole, which had been seen since the early post-operative period. Clean and stable attic retraction with a wide access was observed in two ears. Post-operative hearing at the final evaluation was better (change > 10 dB) than the pre-operative one in nine ears and did not change in the remaining four. Pre- and post-operative mean hearing values were, pure-tone average 47 and 35 dB (p = 0.01) and air-bone gap 30 and 20 dB (p = 0.02), respectively. With the CHAT technique, cholesteatoma can be completely and safely removed from the middle ear, and a durable and resistant reconstruction of the middle ear with reasonable hearing can be achieved. However, a further study should analyse long-term results of a larger patient group.     

Eustachian tube function related to the results of tympanoplasty in children.

The results of tympanoplastic surgery to repair a perforation of the tympanic membrane are less satisfactory in children than in adults. This paper reports the results of a propspective study of 45 children (51 ears) which was undertaken to determine which, if any, detectable and controllable pre or intraoperative parameters might predict the outcome of tympanoplasty surgery. A "successful" tympanoplasty was defined as that in which the initial graft took, in which the tympanic membrane remained intact, and which was not associated with high negative middle ear pressure, otitis media with effusion, or cholesteatoma during a follow-up period of one to two years. Assessment of hearing related to the tympanoplastic surgery was not included as an outcome measure. With this criteria, the overall success rate of tympanoplasty in children was 35%. The success of tympanoplasty was not related to graft placement, although the laterally placed grafts had a higher take rate (67%) than grafts placed medially (49%). Preoperative measures, such as the assessment of Eustachian tube function using the modified inflation-deflation test and tympanometric evaluation of the contralateral ear, failed to predict the success of tympanoplasty. Tympanoplasty universally failed in the ears in which an acquired cholesteatoma was present. Children remain uncertain candidates for tympanoplasty surgery since, as a group, their Eustachian tube function is not as good as that of adults.     

Eustachian tube function test: a new dimension in the management of CSOM

Poor eustachian tube function is a major cause of both failure of tympanoplasty as well as the persistence of otorrhoea in chronic suppurative otiis media. In this study, Eustachian tube function tests were carried out on 631 ears of CSOM using an impedance audiometer and the results were analysed. The study showed that impaired tubal function is not only the major cause of persistent/recurrent otorrhoea in CSOM but is also an important contributory factor for failure of tympanoplasty: The results of tympanoplasty were found to be significantly poor when carried out in ears having poor tubal function as compared to ears with normal tubal function.     

Is surgery of the inner nose indicated before tympanoplasty? Effects of nasal obstruction and reconstruction on the eustachian tube

BACKGROUND: When tympanoplasty is to be done in a patient suffering from chronic otitis media, usually potential interactions between middle ear mucosa, Eustachian tube function, and the nose and nasopharynx are considered. Poor tubal function goes along with a diminished success rate of tympanoplasty. On the other hand, pathological findings in the nose or the nasopharynx are often said to be responsible for inadaequate tubal function. Consequently, many authors feel that surgery of the nose should be performed before tympanoplasty if septal deviation or hypertrophy of the conchae is seen in a patient with chronic otitis media. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In order to better understand interactions between nasal pathology and Eustachian tube function, we utilized a pressure chamber to examine 50 patients undergoing septoplasty and conchotomy. Besides insufflation tests (Toynbee, Valsalva), we performed dynamic tubal examination with the dual-impedance method. Active parameters (positive and negative residual pressure) and passive parameters (tubal opening and tubal closing pressure) were recorded as the chamber pressure was varied. The aim of our investigation was to test if surgery of the nasal septum and the conchae really improves tubal function, thus evaluating indications for septoplasty before tympanoplasty. In addition, we explored the early and the late consequences of nasal surgery on tubal function. This was done to find out the optimal postoperative period during which tympanoplasty could be performed following septoplasty. RESULTS: In many of the patients, insufflation tests were negative and dynamic tubal parameters were outside normal value range before surgery of the nose. One week after surgery, active and passive parameters and insufflation tests even deteriorated in the majority of our patients. Six to 8 weeks after surgery, we observed a tendency towards normalization of tubal parameters. This was significant for tubal closing pressure, but not for the other parameters. Whereas passive tubal parameters showed considerable improvement in many patients, there was no real improvement of active tubal parameters in most patients. This tendency was observed several months after surgery of the nose as well. Despite this improvement of passive tubal function, we did not observe a complete normalization of mean values even after 4 to 6 months. In several patients (who were satisfied with functional results of septoplasty) tubal parameters were even worse some weeks or months after nasal surgery, but this was not subjectively registered by our patients. DISCUSSION: We conclude from our data that dysfunction of the Eustachian tube frequently occurs in patients with deviation of the nasal septum and the conchae. Septoplasty and conchotomy worsen tubal function during the early postoperative period, lasting for at least one week. In a later period, improvement of tubal function may occur but in many patients no effects of nasal surgery on Eustachian tube can be measured. Thus, septoplasty before tympanoplasty cannot be generally recommended in all patients with septal deviation. We suggest that it may be useful in cases with severe nasal pathology or chronic infection of the nose or the nasopharynx, if this is accompanied by poor tubal function. We recommend analysis of Eustachian tube function before deciding on therapeutic management. Individual findings in the specific patient should be the leading criteria in all cases. If septoplasty and conchotomia are done, tympanoplasty should not be performed in the same session or in the early postoperative period, but several months after nasal surgery.     

Correlation between middle-ear pressure-regulation functions and outcome of type-I tympanoplasty

OBJECTIVES: To examine the correlation between the middle-ear pressure-regulation functions including active eustachian tube (ET) functions and transmucosal gas exchange function, and outcome of tympanoplasty. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy five patients (78 ears) with non-cholesteatomatous chronic otitis media with eardrum perforation but without ossicular damage or middle-ear anomaly participated in this study. Before surgery, patency of the ET was examined by applying positive pressure to the middle ear through the eardrum perforation, and then the ET pressure-regulation functions were examined using the inflation-deflation test. Also their transmucosal gas exchange function was evaluated by examining the presence or absence of aeration in the mastoid on the CT before surgery or through the microscope during the surgery. All of them underwent type-I tympanoplasty, and their postoperative conditions including the hearing were followed for more than 6 months. The outcome of the surgery was judged as poor outcome when they had any of the following conditions; more than 20 dB of mean air-bone gap, spontaneous perforation within 6 months, or persistent wet condition including recurrent otorrhea. RESULTS: First, the outcome of all the four ears of which ETs were considered mechanically obstructed was poor. Next, among the remaining 74 ears, none of the three individual parameters, including positive and negative middle-ear pressure-equalizing functions and mastoid aeration, showed significantly positive correlation with the outcome of the surgery, but significantly higher incidence of poor outcome was seen only when all the three parameters were poor. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that impairment of all the middle-ear pressure-regulation functions was likely to cause poor outcome of tympanoplasty, and also allowed us reconfirm that ears with mechanically obstructed ETs were contraindicated for tympanoplasty. Therefore, assessment of mastoid condition is important as well as the ET function before tympanoplasty.     

Comparative study on adhesive otitis media and pars tensa cholesteatoma in children

Objective: Recurrent otitis media and persistent otitis media with effusion in early childhood may cause an atelectatic eardrum and adhesive otitis media, which sometimes progress to pars tensa cholesteatoma. When and how children with adhesive otitis media should be operated on remain controversial. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of children with adhesive otitis media and pars tensa cholesteatoma, and to determine the risk factors of progression to cholesteatoma.Methods: Seventeen ears of 15 children with adhesive otitis media (adhesive group) and 14 ears of 13 children with pars tensa cholesteatoma (tensa cholesteatoma group) who underwent tympanoplasty were included in this study. We analyzed the following clinical characteristics of children in both groups: medical and life history, associated diseases, sites of the adhesion, and development and aeration of mastoid air cells as shown by temporal bone computed tomography.Results: Most of the children in both groups had a history of recurrent otitis media and/or persistent otitis media with effusion. They showed a male predominance and a frequent association of allergic rhinitis. The number of ears showing undeveloped mastoid air cells in the tensa cholesteatoma group was significantly larger than that in the adhesive otitis media group (P=0.0068). A lack of aeration of the middle ear, including the eustachian tube, was more frequently found in ears with pars tensa cholesteatoma than in ears with adhesive otitis media (P=0.0012). Using multivariate logistic regression, the presence of otorrhea (odds ratio [OR], 14.847; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.834–264.184), total adhesion (OR, 28.550; 95% CI, 0.962–847.508), and undeveloped mastoid air cells (OR, 19.357; 95% CI, 1.022–366.589) were related to pars tensa cholesteatoma.Conclusion: Children with adhesive otitis media should be carefully followed up in the outpatient setting. Ears with poor mastoid development may develop pars tensa cholesteatoma. Additionally, ears with middle ear effusion, total adhesion, and the presence of otorrhea tend to be at risk of pars tensa cholesteatoma. Tympanoplasty or tympanostomy tube insertion should be considered for children with adhesive otitis media who have these risk factors to prevent progression to pars tensa cholesteatoma.     

The patulous Eustachian tube and chronic middle ear disease

The function of the Eustachian tube was tested preoperatively by sonotubometry in 100 ears subjected to surgery for chronic ear disease. 36 ears showed no tubal passage for sound during swallowing and the surgical intervention revealed cholesteatoma in 17 of these cases. In 64 cases sonotubometry gave positive results preoperatively and among these cholesteatoma was found in 26 ears. One patient had a continuously patent tube with typical symptoms and only cutting of the tensor veli palatini muscle tendon revealed the symptoms after reconstructive ear surgery. In another patient the tube opened well on swallowing, remained patent for some time, and closed slowly. This finding was unexpected and the patient had no complaints associated with the tubal function. The patulous tube is a rare condition (1-2%) in patients with chronic middle ear disease but should be diagnosed before surgery and followed carefully postoperatively.     

颞骨CT和咽鼓管功能检查对胆脂瘤型中耳炎咽鼓管鼓室口病变的诊断意义

目的：探讨颞骨高分辨率CT（HRCT）和咽鼓管功能检查对胆脂瘤型中耳炎患者术前咽鼓管鼓室口病变的诊断价值。方法：回顾性分析38例（41耳）胆脂瘤型中耳炎患者术前颞骨HRCT扫描和咽鼓管功能综合测试仪检查结果，并与术中显微镜下探查咽鼓管鼓室口处病变情况进行对比分析。结果：颞骨HRCT发现咽鼓管鼓室口软组织占位影34耳；术中发现鼓室口病变32耳，其中为肉芽组织22耳和胆脂瘤4耳，脓团堵塞3耳，鼓室口周围黏膜肥厚肿胀2耳，黏膜粘连闭锁1耳。咽鼓管功能障碍37耳，其中为阻塞型32耳，闭锁不全型5耳。结论：对胆脂瘤型中耳炎患者术前进行颞骨HRCT扫描和咽鼓管功能检查，对术中有目的地处理咽鼓管鼓室口的病变，制定手术方案和预估治疗效果具有重要意义。     

Anterior subannular T-tube for long-term middle ear ventilation during tympanoplasty.

OBJECTIVE: A technique for providing long-term ventilation of the middle ear (ME) during tympanoplasty is described, and the results using this technique in 20 patients with chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) are reported. STUDY DESIGN: This study was a retrospective, nonrandomized case review. SETTING: This study was conducted at an otology clinic in a tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Twenty consecutive patients who underwent tympanoplasty with ETD, adhesive otitis media, or chronic otitis media with perforation were included in this study. INTERVENTION: All patients had a subannular T-tube placed anteriorly at the time of tympanoplasty for long-term ventilation of the ME space. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The two main outcome measures were tube position and patency. Preoperative and postoperative hearing levels were also tested in most patients, and any complications were documented. RESULTS: Twenty patients (20 ears) received anterior subannular T-tubes at the time of tympanoplasty. Fourteen females and 6 males were evaluated (median age, 36 years; range, 7 to 72 years). All patients had ETD; 7 had adhesive otitis media, 10 had chronic otitis media, 8 had cholesteatoma, and 2 had cleft palate. All patients had conductive hearing loss and previous surgery. All patients underwent tympanoplasty; 11 had concomitant ossiculoplasty, and 5 had mastoidectomy. Follow-up ranged from 8 to 22 months (mean, 13.4 months). One patient was lost to follow-up. One tube extruded after 16 months. Two patients had persistent mild retraction of the tympanic membrane. All other tubes are patent and have not migrated or plugged. There has been no evidence of anterior blunting or ingrowth of epithelium around the tube. CONCLUSIONS: Anterior subannular T-tube placement is a simple, safe, and effective alternative for long-term ME ventilation in patients in whom standard transtympanic sites are not available. At their last follow-up visit, all but one patient had a patent tube. All MEs were aerated. This technique offers the advantage of ease of placement during simultaneous tympanoplasty, mastoidectomy, or ossiculoplasty. Longer follow-up is necessary to confirm these initial findings.     

Postoperative results for cholesteatoma in children

OBJECTIVES: to review the postoperative results for cholesteatoma in children. MATERIALS: 32 ears with acquired cholesteatoma in children operated on by a single surgeon between 1987 and 1995 and followed up more than 2 years. The mean follow-up period was 5.4 years. RESULTS: a one-stage operation was performed in seven ears (21.9%) and preplanned stage operation in 25 ears (78.1%). In the first operation, closed tympanoplasty was performed in 31 ears (96.9%) and open tymapanoplasty in one ear (3.1%). During the second stage operation, residual cholesteatoma was found in 16 ears (64.0%). Recurrent cholesteatoma was detected in 19.4% of ears treated with closed tympanoplasty. The mean postoperative air conduction hearing level was within 20 dB in 12.5%, 30 dB in 40.6% and 40 dB in 78.1%. The hearing results of type III tympanoplasty was better than those of type IV tympanoplasty. CONCLUSIONS: preplanned stage tympanoplasty is safer because of the high risk of recurrent and residual cholesteatoma. Surgical methods should be selected flexibly in individual cases depending upon cavity size, eustachian tube function and hearing level. Cholesteatoma in children should be operated on while stapes is present.     

Sonotubometric measurement of the eustachian tube function by means of band noise. A clinical view of the acoustic measurement of the eustachian tube

The Eustachian tube is well known as an organ serving the ventilation and drainage of the tympanic cavity and mastoid. Ventilation is carried out by the opening and closing of the Eustachian tube accompanying swallowing movements. Until now there has been no instrument to quantify these motor activities of the tube necessary for its function as a ventilator. The author developed a generally applicable sonotubometer Model WIO-01 with the help of Siemens Hearing Institute K.K. for automatic measurement of the aforesaid tubal function with the use of 7 kHz full-octave band noise. In a sonotubometric trial with 32 adult female subjects, the duration of patency of the Eustachian tube was 288.5 +/- 1.38.5 ms, and the amplitude eliciting response was 16.4 +/- 8.3 dB. The positive response rate was 89.1%. In 89 children aged 4-12 years, a positive response was detected in 117 ears (61.9%). The mean duration of patency was 337.7 +/- 154.4 ms, and the amplitude 16.3 +/- 7.2 dB. It is physiological to have tubal opening and closing during natural swallowing. It is therefore important to understand the tubal function when dealing with tympanoplasty and diseases caused by tubal dysfunction.     

Cholesteatoma in children, predictors and calculation of recurrence rates

The aim of the study was to evaluate the long-term recurrence rate after surgery for acquired cholesteatoma in children, to search for predictors of recurrency and to analyse the impact of the applied statistical method on the outcome of the results. During a 15-year period, 114 children underwent first-time surgery for acquired cholesteatoma. The patients were re-evaluated with a median observation time of 5.8 years, range 1-16 years. Recurrence of cholesteatoma developed in 27 ears. The cumulated total recurrence rate was 24% using standard incidence rate calculation, applying Kaplan-Meier survival analysis the recurrence rate was 33%. Recurrent disease occurred significantly more frequent in children < 8 years, with negative preoperative Valsalva, ossicular resorption and with large cholesteatomas. In conclusion, young children with poor Eustachian tube function, large cholesteatoma and erosion of the ossicular chain, are at special risk of recurrence and should be observed several years after surgery.     

Surgical treatment of chronic middle ear disease. 1. Myringoplasty and tympanoplasty

Results of myringoplasty or tympanoplasty were evaluated in 225 ears followed for at least one year after surgery. Repair of the tympanic membrane with an underlay connective tissue graft (fascia in 90%) was successful in 97% of the ears. One late perforation developed 3 years postoperatively. The average postoperative air-bone gap was 4.8 dB in 88 cases of myringoplasty, the series including three ears with a rigid footplate. Rigid incus and malleus should not be mobilized but subjected to resection and reconstruction. Poor tubal function caused adhesive changes in one ear (1%). In tympanoplasty the average postoperative air-bone gap was 11.3 dB in 100 ears with stapes present and 20.6 dB in 36 ears with only the footplate remaining. Of the 137 tympanoplasty ears, 10 (7%) showed prominent adhesive changes. In 36 ears with cholesteatoma there was one recurrence 3 years later (3%). An air-bone gap of less than 20 dB was postoperatively noted in 94% of the ears undergoing myringoplasty and in 69% of the ears undergoing tympanoplasty.     

Mastoid volume and eustachian tube function in ears with cholesteatoma

Eustachian tube function, as measured by the pressure equalizing technique, and the mastoid air cell area were compared among ears with traumatic eardrum perforations, ears with chronic otitis media, and cholesteatomatous ears. A statistically significant difference among the three groups was found regarding the residual positive pressure after swallowing, with the poorest function found in the cholesteatoma group. Also, the ability to reduce a negative pressure was found to be inferior in the cholesteatoma group compared with the others. The mean mastoid air cell area measured on the x-ray film was smallest among ears with cholesteatoma and differed significantly among the groups. These disturbances in the active eustachian tube function as well as the volume of the middle ear cleft, including the mastoid air cell system, were found to be characteristic among ears with acquired cholesteatomas.     

慢性化脓性中耳炎的咽鼓管功能对手术疗效的影响

目的探讨慢性化脓性中耳炎咽鼓管功能改变对手术疗效的影响.方法分析40耳行鼓室成形术的慢性化脓性中耳炎的咽鼓管功能与手术疗效的关系.咽鼓管功能检查用正-负压试验、TTAG法及音响法,咽鼓管鼓室口及咽口的观察分别用鼓室镜及鼻窦镜,对比分析咽鼓管功能改变与病变部位的关系,并比较鼓室成形术后咽鼓管功能正常耳与异常耳的鼓膜生长及听力变化情况.结果慢性化脓性中耳炎的咽鼓管功能与鼓室口病变程度相关,鼓室口病变轻者,咽鼓管功能良好;而鼓室口病变重者咽鼓管功能不良.40耳鼓室成形术后咽鼓管功能良好耳鼓膜生长良好,咽鼓管功能不良耳鼓膜生长欠佳;两者均有统计学意义.结论慢性化脓性中耳炎咽鼓管功能与鼓室成形术效果关系密切,咽鼓管功能障碍可能是导致手术失败的重要因素之一.     

Value of middle ear inflation as a diagnostic indicator of eustachian tube patency

The value of tubal inflation as a diagnostic procedure for Eustachian tube patency and function is controversial. In an attempt to assess the diagnostic value of air douche in atelectatic ears, 49 such ears of 40 patients were politzerized. The procedure was successful in 45 ears. However, of the four unsuccessful cases, two of the patients were able to autoinflate their ears. These results show that air douches pass regularly through the Eustachian tube into the tympanic cavity even in atelectatic ears, which by definition suffer from aeration deficiency, which is often considered to be secondary to 'Eustachian tube obstruction', or alternatively 'Eustachian tube dysfunction'. Thus, the ability to force air through the Eustachian tube by politzerization is of no diagnostic value as an indicator of normal or abnormal tubal patency or functioning in atelectatic ears and most probably in allied conditions.     

开放式鼓室成形术治疗胆脂瘤型中耳炎疗效观察

目的探讨开放式鼓室成形术治疗胆脂瘤型中耳炎的临床效果和影响预后的因素.方法对胆脂瘤型中耳炎116例行开放式鼓室成形术,并对手术方法进行分析.结果经1-5年随访,颞肌筋膜完全成活109例,6例再穿孔,1例复发流脓,患者均有短且大的外耳道,术腔上皮化、干耳.术后9个月听力提高10dB56例、15-20dB34例,25-30dB6例,20例无变化.结论施行开放式鼓室成形术,只要彻底清除乳突、中耳病变,恢复中耳通气功能,可以消除炎症,防止胆脂瘤复发和提高听力.     

Tensa retraction cholesteatoma: treatment and long-term results

To obtain the best possible results of treatment of acquired cholesteatoma, we made a subdivision of cholesteatoma types into attic and pars tensa cholesteatomas, and subdivided the latter further into tensa retraction cholesteatoma and sinus cholesteatomas. Tensa retraction cholesteatoma is defined as arising from a retraction or perforation of the whole pars tensa, whereas sinus cholesteatoma is defined as arising from a retraction or perforation of the postero-superior part of the tensa. We present the long-term results obtained in tensa retraction cholesteatomas treated with one stage surgery from 1964 to 1980. Median observation time was 9 years, range 2 to 19 years. Sixty-one ears were treated without mastoidectomy, whereas 71 ears had canal wall-up mastoidectomy and 64 ears had canal wall-down mastoidectomy. The total recurrence rate was 13.3 per cent; 17 ears had residual cholesteatoma, and nine ears had recurrent cholesteatoma. The best results were obtained in ears with an intact ossicular chain where mastoidectomy was not performed. In 49 per cent of the cases, the cholesteatoma was confined to the tympanic cavity without reaching the aditus, antrum or mastoid process. About one-third to one-quarter of the ears had tympanoplasty only, with removal of the cholesteatoma through the ear canal.