Clin Exp Otorhinolaryngol.  2015 Dec;8(4):359-363. 10.3342/ceo.2015.8.4.359.

Comparison of Short- and Long-term Hearing Outcomes of Successful Inlay Cartilage Tympanoplasty Between Small and Large Eardrum Perforations

• Wu PW
• Wang WH
• Huang CC
• Lee TJ
• Huang CC

• KMID: 2128910
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3342/ceo.2015.8.4.359

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To compare the short- and long-term hearing outcomes after successful inlay cartilage tympanoplasty between patients with small (< or =25%) and large (> or =50%) eardrums perforations.
METHODS
This is a retrospective case series study conducted in a tertiary referral center. Twenty-five patients who underwent 27 procedures were enrolled. Their mean age was 60.26 years (range, 42 to 76 years). The mean follow-up time was 18.86 months (range, 12.30 to 35.83 months). The preoperative, initial postoperative, and long-term hearing results in patients with total repair of the eardrum were analyzed.
RESULTS
In the small size group, the average (+/-standard deviation) air-bone gap (ABG) closure was 1.08+/-7.53 dB in the short-term and 2.33+/-11.56 dB in the long-term hearing examinations. There was no difference between short- and long-term ABG closure (P=0.689). In the large size group, the average ABG closure was 9.77+/-9.40 dB in the short-term and 16.25+/-6.01 dB in the long-term hearing examinations. There was a significant difference between short- and long-term ABG closure (P=0.029).
CONCLUSION
Patients with large perforations have continuous hearing improvement and ABG closure for more than one year. In contrast, the short- and long-term postoperative ABGs are almost the same in patients with small perforations. More long-term postoperative follow-up of hearing results is necessary for large perforations.

Keyword

Hearing; Inlay Butterfly Cartilage; Air-Bone Gap; Tympanoplasty; Chronic Otitis Media

MeSH Terms

Cartilage*
Follow-Up Studies
Hearing*
Humans
Inlays*
Retrospective Studies
Tertiary Care Centers
Tympanic Membrane*
Tympanoplasty*

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Otoscope image of eardrum preoperatively (A), one month (B), and three months (C) postoperatively. Arrow indicates neovessel ingrowth on the outer surface of cartilage.

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  Fig. 2 The mean preoperative, postoperative short-term, and postoperative long-term air-bone gap. Preop, preoperative; Postop, postoperative; ABG, air-bone gap.

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  Fig. 3 The mean postoperative (postop) short- and long-term air-bone gap (ABG) closure after inlay cartilage tympanoplasty.

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  Fig. 4 Comparison of the mean preoperative, postoperative short-term, and postoperative long-term air-bone gap between patients with small and large eardrum perforations. Preop, preoperative; Postop, postoperative; ABG, air-bone gap.

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