Middle-ear reconstruction: a review of 150 cases

This study is based on a retrospective analysis of 150 cases of tympanoplasty and ossicular chain reconstruction as a one-stage procedure. It was conducted at the Federal Government Services Hospital, Islamabad from 1983 to 1999. Temporalis fascia was used for myringoplasty and a sculptured autologous incus to bridge the malleus to stapes head and malleus to footplate gap. These interpositions have produced stable ossicular assemblies and provided satisfactory post-operative hearing gains. One hundred and twenty-six (84 per cent) patients achieved a healed tympanic membrane three months post-operatively. One year post-operatively, 121 (81 per cent) patients had an intact tympanic membrane and at five years 119 (79 per cent) had an intact tympanic membrane. The success rate was based on an intact tympanic membrane and an air-bone gap of less than 30 dB one-year post-operation. Accordingly, the overall success rate was 80 per cent (120 cases). Hearing gains in cases with an absent stapes arch were poorer than in cases with an intact arch. Early (one to three months) post-operative complications included tympanic membrane perforation, lateralization of the graft and persistence of infection. Late (one to five years) complications included the appearance of an anterior perforation and retraction and thinning of the tympanic membrane.