Results of middle ear reconstruction surgery

Reconstructive surgery of the middle ear comprises two types of operations, i.e. reconstruction of the surroundings of the middle ear (external auditory canal) and reconstruction of the tympano ossicular contents of the middle ear (tympano-ossiculoplasty). Reconstruction of the external auditory canal may be total after certain open techniques, or partial after certain closed techniques. The results are markedly better when cortical bone autografts are used rather than materials such as Ceravital or Hydroxylapatite. Furthermore, cavity obliteration gives excellent results in 90% of cases (using bone powder, biomaterial powder, fibrin glue and covering muscular flaps). Tympano-ossiculoplasty gives on the whole, good results. Based on statistics of over 2200 cases, the author dwells in particular on the use of ossicular homografts, the results of which are generally superior to those of the best biomaterial (Ceravital and Hydroxylapatite).