Titanium prostheses versus stapes columella type 3 tympanoplasty: a comparative prospective study

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Audiology
• Surgical Innovation

Background:

• Tympanoplasty reconstructs middle ear sound transmission mechanisms.
• Chronic otitis media (COM) often requires surgical intervention for hearing restoration.
• Type 3 tympanoplasty addresses significant ossicular chain damage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To audiologicaly analyze patients with COM undergoing type 3 tympanoplasty.
• To compare the outcomes of using titanium prostheses versus cartilage grafts for ossicular reconstruction.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of different materials in auditory rehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• Prospective analytical study of 26 COM patients.
• Tympanoplasty with either total ossicular replacement titanium prosthesis or cartilage graft stapes columella.
• Audiological evaluation pre- and post-surgery.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant association between reconstruction material (titanium vs. cartilage) and preoperative or postoperative variables.
• Neither subjective hearing improvement nor residual perforation correlated with material type.
• Air-conduction pathway improvement was statistically significant compared to bone-conduction, reducing the air-bone gap.

Conclusions:

• No statistical difference in audiometric improvement between titanium and cartilage groups for type 3 tympanoplasty.
• Both reconstruction materials resulted in hearing improvement.
• Further research with longer follow-up is recommended to fully assess outcomes.