Hearing Improvement After Type III Tympanoplasty: A Prospective Observational Study

To analyse the postoperative hearing results of patients undergoing type III tympanoplasty using sculptured homologous spur cartilage. This prospective study included 156 patients of chronic otitis media (COM), between the ages 10-60 years. All cases underwent type III tympanoplasty with ossiculoplasty using homologous spur cartilage. The study sample of 156 patients contained 107 cases of mucosal type and 49 cases of squamosal type COM. Type III A tympanoplasty was done for 71 cases and type III B tympanoplasty was done for 85. Pure tone audiometry (PTA) was done pre and postoperatively, in all the cases. The patients were followed up for 6 months postoperatively. The average preoperative mean air-bone-gap (ABG) was 43.64 dB, whereas in type III A cases it was 39.7 dB and in type III B it was 46.9 dB. The mean ABG at 6th month follow up was 18.9 dB in the study group. In type III A cases, mean ABG was 15.2 dB and in type III B cases it was 22.11 dB. Homogenous spur cartilage graft can be used for ossicular chain reconstruction with the advantage of very low extrusion rate, technically easy to perform with less risk of residual disease.