Analysis of surgical effect on middle ear cholesterol granuloma

Abstract

Objective:To evaluate surgical effects on middle ear cholesterol granuloma（CG）. Method:The patients receiving surgery due to middle ear CG were retrospectively analyzed. The choice of operative methods was made according to medical history, endotoscope, pure-tone audiometry and temporal bone CT. Tympanostomy tube（TT） insertion was performed on 12 patients; canal wall up（CWU） tympanoplasty combined with tympanostomy tube was performed on 40 patients, and canal wall down（CWD） tympanoplasty combined with TT on 14 cases. The pre-and postoperative audiometric results（500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz） were evaluated for each patient. Then the average air-bone gap（ABG） was analyzed. Result:One patient had postoperative tube obstruction. One patient who performed only TT insertion recurred. Secretory otitis media occurred in one case undergoing CWU tympanoplasty after removal of the ventilation tube. For TT insertion group, pre-and postoperative ABG levels were （21.25±5.96） dB and （8.85±6.49） dB, respectively（P<0.01）. For CWU+TT group, pre-and postoperative ABG levels were （34.19±10.43） dB and （23.55±12.48） dB, respectively（P<0.01）. For CWD+TT group, pre-and postoperative ABG levels were （36.43±12.11） dB and （25.71±13.50） dB, respectively（P<0.01）. Conclusion:The aim of surgical treatment for middle ear CG includes thorough removal of lesions, improvement of ventilation and drainage of middle ear. Individualized surgical strategy should be adopted according to the patients' conditions. And long-term follow-up should be done after operation.