Concurrent nasal surgery and tympanoplasty in adults

We conducted a retrospective chart review to determine if performing simultaneous nasal surgery and tympanoplasty jeopardizes tympanic membrane graft survival and the surgical outcome. Our study population consisted of 14 consecutively presenting adults with nasal septal deviation and otologic pathology who had undergone simultaneous nasal and otologic procedures at an academic tertiary care medical center. Surgical procedures included septoplasty and bilateral inferior turbinate submucous reduction with concurrent primary or revision tympanoplasty with or without mastoidectomy and ossicular chain reconstruction. Follow-up ranged from 1.8 to 29.8 months (mean: 12.8 ± 10.8). The primary outcomes measures were tympanic membrane graft survival and surgical success; the latter was defined as an absence of middle ear effusion and a lack of need for pressure-equalization tube placement in patients with intact grafts. We found that 13 of the 14 tympanic membrane grafts (92.9%) survived at the most recent follow-up and that 11 patients (78.6%) achieved an aerated middle ear without the need for a pressure-equalization tube. These rates compare favorably with those quoted in the literature for tympanoplasty performed without concomitant nasal surgery. We conclude that septoplasty can be safely and effectively performed at the same time as tympanoplasty with or without mastoidectomy with no increase in the risk of surgical failure.