[New methods of type II tympanoplasty in erosion of the long incus process]

Reliable methods of reconstruction of the ossicular chain in the situation of an isolated errosion of the long process of the incus using a tympanoplasty type II have not been available until recently. Instead, the tympanoplasty type III has been generally performed with the interposition of an autologous incus. In this presentation, we are describing two methods for reconstruction of the ossicular chain between the in-situ residing incus and the stapes on the other side so that the direct connection eventually will result in a tympanoplasty type II. In the first case, we used ionomeric cement in a way that features two characteristics: the direct connection between the stapes and the long process of the incus could be achieved as well as an articulation that was created on the head of the stapes. Hence, a too stiff connection between the head of the stapes and the long process of the incus could be avoided. In addition, a new method for precise microapplication of cooled bone cement (IONOCAP LV) with a syringe will be presented. In the second method titanium-gold-angle prostheses have been crimped to the long process of the incus and positioned onto the head of the stapes in the way of an articulation. So far, comparison of the audiological results of those two methods of a tympanoplasty type II reveal in average better results than postoperative conductive hearing thresholds of the conventional tympanoplasty type III. If the achieved results can be reproduced on a larger number of patients, the expected audiological results are likely to resemble those of stapes surgery.