[Histological studies of the behavior of the dentin ossicular prosthesis in the human middle ear]

The Dentine Ossicular Prosthesis (DOP)--introduced in the ENT-Department, University of Hamburg in 1986--has proved its worth clinically in more than 300 cases. In the meantime six of the prostheses had to be removed for various reasons. They had remained in the middle ear over a period between 2-5 and 47 months. The prostheses were investigated undecalcified by the Donath sawing and grinding technique. Prostheses in a nearly bland surrounding show a partial invagination in fibrous connective tissue without severe reaction of the prosthesis itself, whereas in prostheses removed from the neighbourhood of inflammatory processes or recurrent cholesteatoma a partial resorption of dentine with subsequent new bone formation could be observed. Due to the trouble-free clinical and histological performance in the human middle ear, the Dentine Ossicular Prosthesis can be well recommended as an alternative material in ossiculoplasty.