Objective: We reviewed functional outcomes of tympanoplasty.
Study design: The results of tympanoplastic surgery are changing in time. We present late treatment outcomes among different types of tympanoplasty.
Methods: Eighty-six patients who underwent tympanoplasty were enrolled in the study. The results of pure tone audiometry performed 7 days before, then at 3 months, 1 year, and 3 years after the surgery were assessed. Type II tympanoplasty involved implantation of a partial ossicular replacement prosthesis and type III tympanoplasty involved reconstruction with a total ossicular replacement prosthesis and the use of autogenous homogenous material. Statistical analysis was performed.
Results: With all four types of tympanoplasty, hearing improvement was achieved at 3 months and 1 year after surgery based on the magnitude of the mean ABG reduction (p<0.001). In patients who underwent type I, type III, and type IV tympanoplasty, the ABG reduction at 3 years after surgery was maintained at the level reported at 3 months and 1 year after surgery (p<0.001). In patients who underwent type II tympanoplasty, however, the mean ABG value was increased at all tested frequencies (p<0.05). The mean ABG values reported 3 years after type II and type III tympanoplasty were similar.
Conclusions: Based on the results over time, hearing improvement seems to be less durable after reconstruction with the partial ossicular replacement prosthesis procedure compared to the total ossicular replacement prosthesis procedure.
Keywords: Tympanoplasty; chronic otitis media; pure tone audiometry.