Myringoplasty. A conventional and extended high-frequency, air- and bone-conduction audiometric study

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Otolaryngology
• Surgical Outcomes

Background:

• Myringoplasty is a surgical procedure to repair a perforated tympanic membrane.
• Understanding the effects of myringoplasty on hearing, especially in extended high frequencies, is crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare pre- and postoperative air- and bone-conduction hearing thresholds in patients who underwent successful myringoplasty.
• To investigate the impact of myringoplasty on hearing in both conventional and extended high-frequency ranges (up to 18 kHz).

Main Methods:

• Audiometric evaluation of 22 subjects before and after myringoplasty.
• Testing included air-conduction and bone-conduction thresholds in conventional (0.25-4 kHz) and extended high-frequency (6-18 kHz) ranges.

Main Results:

• Air-conduction thresholds improved up to 4 kHz post-surgery.
• Elevated air-conduction thresholds were observed from 6 to 18 kHz after myringoplasty.
• Bone-conduction thresholds showed minor changes in lower frequencies and remained stable in the extended high-frequency range (8-16 kHz).

Conclusions:

• The observed high-frequency air-conduction threshold loss after myringoplasty is attributed to alterations in middle ear sound transmission.
• The findings suggest that myringoplasty does not cause iatrogenic cochlear damage.
• Extended high-frequency audiometry is valuable for assessing subtle changes post-middle ear surgery.