OBJECTIVETo evaluate the long-term therapeutic effects of repairing the whole auricular defects with osseointegrated prosthetic ears.

METHODSFrom January 2002 to December 2005, 62 patients (63 ears) with the whole auricular defects were treated with osseointegrated prosthetic ears and followed up for 5 - 8 years (median 6.5 years) after operations. In all cases, the following items were analyzed: stability and dislocation rate of the implants fixing prosthetic ears, infection of tissues surrounding implants, time and appearance satisfaction of wearing prosthetic ears, rate and time length of replacement of prosthetic ears, and presence of systemic complications or not.

RESULTSAll 63 ears were healed with one surgery, with the appearances of life like shapes, stable fixation, and natural color. Infection of implants and their surrounding tissues occurred in all cases, but didn't influence the stability of the implants. All 126 implant particles in 63 ears survived after one surgery, except that 4 implant particles were dislocated by trauma. In all cases, the time of wearing prosthetic ears was more than 8 hours per day. Because of color fading and breakage, average time length of replacement of prosthetic ears was 3.0 years. There were no intracranial or systemic complications.

CONCLUSIONSOsseointegrated prosthetic ears can be used in the treatment of the patients with the whole auricular defects, because of its safety and reliability, the stability of long-term therapeutic effects, and the good satisfaction of the patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Ear Auricle ; abnormalities ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osseointegration ; Prostheses and Implants ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical significance of intact canal wall mastoidectomy combined with facial recess opening in the treatment of secretory otitis media of children.

METHODSThe clinical data of 17 children (19 ears) with recurrent secretory otitis media yet failed tube insertion more than 3 times, and treated with intact canal wall mastoidectomy combined with facial recess opening, in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of SUN Yat-sen University, were reviewed. And because of the eustachian tube dysfunction, 7 ears simultaneously accepted tube insertion, which were removed after 1 to 3 months.

RESULTSPathological examination of the lesions in middle ear and mastoid of the 19 ears, revealed cholesterol granuloma in 9 ears and inflammatory granulation in 10 ears. All 19 ears recovered with normal tympanic membranes. There were 16 ears with type A tympanogram and 3 ears with type C tympanogram (negative pressure less than 150 mm H₂O). The air-bone gaps were less than 15 dB in 3 months after surgery. There was no recurrence in all cases after 2 - 3 years follow-up.

CONCLUSIONSIn case of recurrent otitis media in children, especially when tube insertion is ineffective, intact canal wall mastoidectomy combined with facial recess opening can be adopted to clear the lesions thoroughly, and to establish long-time and effective ventilation of eustachian tube, tympanic cavity, tympanic antrum, and mastoid.

Adolescent ; Child ; Face ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Mastoid ; surgery ; Otitis Media with Effusion ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies