Evaluation of Results of Cartilage Augmentation in Type III Tympanoplasty

Abstract

Introduction
 In conventional Type III tympanoplasty, post operative air-bone gap (ABG) is around 10-60dB. This study aimed to assess the hearing results in patients undergoing canal wall down mastoidectomy with cartilage augmented type III tympanoplasty. 
 Materials and Methods
 Patients of 6-50 years of age with the diagnosis of Chronic Otitis Media (Squamous) with conductive or mixed hearing loss, requiring canal wall down mastoidectomy and with intact and mobile stapes suprastructure at surgery who underwent cartilage augmentation were included in the study. Pure tone audiometry (PTA) was performed and evaluated. Post- operative hearing was assessed in terms of average air bone gap (ABG) and size of ABG closure.
 Results
 The results concluded that mean of pre and post operative air bone gap were 37.5db and 29.7db respectively with net gain of 7.8db.These differences were significant. Also ABG closure was within 30 db in 28 cases (70%).
 Discussion
 The results of this study were compared with other reported series. The mechanical and acoustical aspects of canal wall down surgeries as also the probability of variation in results due to differences in surgical procedures and post-operative fibrosis have been mentioned. 
 Conclusion
 There was significant improvement in postoperative hearing after stapes head augmentation in type III tympanoplasty.