Hearing results with the titanium ossicular replacement prostheses

Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2006 Apr;263(4):347-54. doi: 10.1007/s00405-005-1002-6. Epub 2005 Dec 3.

Abstract

The purpose was to study the hearing results in patients receiving a Kurz titanium Bell partial ossicular replacement prosthesis (PORP) or an Aerial total ossicular replacement prosthesis (TORP). The study was a retrospective chart review in a tertiary otologic referral center. A computerized otologic database was used to identify 111 patients implanted with either a PORP or TORP prosthesis. Audiograms were reviewed and air-bone gaps were calculated for each patient. The improvement of the average air-bone gap (ABG) was 10.2 and 12.7 dB at 3 and 20 months after ossiculoplasty, respectively. Sixty-six percent of patients (73/111) had a postoperative air-bone gap of 20 dB or less. The ABG for the titanium PORP prosthesis was 14.3+/-9.7 dB, compared with 25.2+/-13.7 dB for the TORP prosthesis (P <0.05). The ABG to within 20 dB or less was obtained in the PORP group in 77% of the cases, versus 52% of the cases in the TORP group (P <0.05). Two extrusions of the prostheses were observed at 17 and 20 months after surgery (1.8%). Revision procedures for functional failure were carried out in 20 patients (18%). The rate of sensorineural hearing loss was 3.6%. The major factors influencing good audiometric results were the surgical procedure preserving the external auditory canal and the presence of the stapes. The best hearing results were achieved when a PORP was used in an intact canal wall (ICW) procedure, and the worst hearing results were achieved when a TORP was used in a canal wall down (CWD) procedure. The titanium Kurz prosthesis has been an effective implant at our institution for ossicular reconstruction.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Audiometry
  • Child
  • Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear / surgery
  • Chronic Disease
  • Female
  • Hearing
  • Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / etiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Ossicular Prosthesis*
  • Ossicular Replacement / methods
  • Otitis / surgery
  • Recovery of Function
  • Reoperation
  • Titanium
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Titanium