A comprehensive study on cartilage tympanoplasty in adhesive otitis media

Abstract

Background: The surgical management of adhesive otitis media is debatable. Adhesive otitis media progressing to cholesteatoma cannot be predicted, and hearing remains normal until later in the disease course. Hence surgery is done only when there is hearing loss or frank cholesteatoma develops, where an extensive surgery may be needed. Earlier intervention is often avoided due to near normal hearing levels at this stage in some cases. Aim of the study was to hearing results and intactness of neotympanum who have undergone cartilage tympanoplasty with or without ossicular reconstruction are reported for patients with adhesive otitis media

Methods: This is an open labelled randomised study conducted in Madras Medical College after getting approval from the Institutional Ethical Committee. The study was conducted during the period of November 2011 to April 2013. A total of thirty patients (thirty one ears) aged thirteen-forty eight years underwent cartilage tympanoplasty with or without ossicular reconstruction. Tympanotomy was followed by cartilage reconstruction of the tympanic membrane, with ossicular reconstruction if there is any ossicular discontinuity

Results: The outcome measures were post-operative pure tone average, air-bone gap for three frequencies (five hundred, thousand, two thousand hertz) compared to pre-operative levels. There was a statistically significant improvement in hearing. Neotympanum was found to be stable significantly during follow up.

Conclusions: Therefore cartilage tympanoplasty with or without ossiculoplasty is effective for adhesive otitis media.