[Experiences of poor recovery after total endoscopic middle ear surgery]

Objective:To investigate the occurrence and managements of poor recovery after total endoscopic middle ear surgery. Methods:A total of 302 cases（315 ears） who underwent endoscopic middle ear surgery in our hospital from June 2020 to June 2021 were collected. Follow up by means of endoscopy, pure tone hearing threshold, tympanogram was conducted at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year after surgery to analyze the incidence, possible causes, treatment strategies and effects of poor results tympanic membrane healing and hearing recovery. Results:Among 302 patients（315 ears） followed up, there were 28 cases with poor recovery. There were fourteen cases of poor eardrum healing, of which 10 cases achieved healing of eardrum after tympanic membrane patching in the outpatient department, with a success rate of about 71.4%. TM recurrence adhesion occurred in 4 cases after surgeries of cholesteatoma and adhesive otitis media. One case completely recovered after self eustachian tube insufflation, while 2 cases maintained the degree of eardrum subsidence, and one ineffective patient chose resurgical treatment, with an effective rate was 75.0%. Failure in hearing improvement occurred in 8 cases, all of which underwent second surgical exploration, and seven cases were improved after the second surgery, with an effective rate of 87.5%. Among the 8 patients with no improvement or aggravation of hearing loss after surgery, four cases had postoperative B-type or C-type of tympanogram, and the hearing could not improve after self eustachian tube insufflation for secondary surgical exploration. and the hearing improved after the secondary surgery. Incorrect orientation of ossicular prosthesis was accounted for another 2 cases, the hearing was improved after the ossicular orientation adjustment. One patient with lateral healing of TM and failed hearing recovery was corrected by a second operation. One case of tympanosclerosis underwent stapes release surgery, but hearing recovery still failed. One patient had recurrent postoperative cicatricial atresia of external auditory canal, and the patient was reluctant to undergo reoperation. Postoperative delayed facial paralysis occurred in 1 case, and the facial paralysis recovered recovered after conservative treatments. Conclusion:Eardrum patch and eustachian tube autoflation are simple and effective early outpatient treatment for patient with poor recovery. For those who failed with conservative treatments such as eardrum patch or eustachian tube and poor hearing recovery, the second surgical exploration is safe and effective. Regular follow up after endoscopic middle ear surgery is necessary for the managements of poor recovery.