Background: The retrospective study reviews the hearing results of partial and total ossicular replacement plasties with prostheses composed of a hydroxylapatite head and a trimmable shaft.
Patients and methods: 71 patients underwent tympanoplasty type III between January 1996 and January 2002. The partial (PORP) (55 patients) and total ossicular replacement prostheses (TORP) (16 patients) were a composition of a hydroxylapatite head and a trimmable hydroxylapatite-polyethylene composite shaft (HAPEX ). Hearing results were evaluated according to the guidelines of the Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium.
Results: In cases with a PORP the residual air-bone gap could be reduced to < or = 20 dB in 73% of the patients. The mean air-bone gap improved from 28 dB preoperatively to 17 dB postoperatively. In cases with a TORP the residual air-bone gap could be reduced to < or = 20 dB in 62% of the patients. The mean air-bone gap improved from 32 dB preoperatively to 20 dB postoperatively.
Conclusions: The hearing results with prostheses composed of a hydroxylapatite head and a trimmable shaft are good and comparable to the results of authors using other synthetic ossicular prostheses. These prostheses are time-saving because the trimmable shaft can be quickly cut and shortened to an individual length.