[Mastoid cortical bone grafts in ossiculoplasty]

Ossicular homografts have been left for safety reasons with regard to viral transmission diseases. Several means are usable to reconstruct ossicular chain: synthetic prosthesis and autologous bone. On grounds of disponibility, biocompatibility, cost and use easiness we have been using mastoid cortical bone since 1995. We have studied hearing results and tolerance of 45 ossiculoplasties performed with cortical bone. Two years after, we have been obtaining as good or even better functional results with cortical bone graft than with auto or homologous ossicular bones (air bone gap inferior or equal to 20 DB in 89 % of the cases) and no extrusion. Thus, cortical bone seems to be, the better material when autologous ossicular bones are not available.