Objective:To compare the differences in postoperative healing rates, hearing improvement, and complication rates between endoscopic butterfly inlay cartilage tympanoplasty and underlay cartilage tympanoplasty in Small-to-Medium-Sized Tympanic Membrane Perforations, and to provide clinical basis for indication of the butterfly inlay cartilage tympanoplasty. Methods:This study enrolled patients with chronic suppurative otitis media or traumatic tympanic membrane perforations who were treated at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, between January 2022 and May 2023. Inclusion criteria comprised a dry ear period exceeding 3 months, absence of middle ear or mastoid pathology confirmed by temporal bone CT, and an air-bone gap of less than 40 dB. All surgeries were performed by the same surgeon using tympanoplasty techniques. Based on the surgical approach and perforation size, patients were categorized into four groups: Group A（butterfly cartilage tympanoplasty, perforation ≤3 mm）: 23 cases. Group B（butterfly cartilage tympanoplasty, perforation 3-5 mm）: 17 cases. Group C（full-thickness cartilage underlay tympanoplasty, perforation ≤3 mm）: 12 cases. Group D（full-thickness cartilage underlay tympanoplasty, perforation 3-5 mm）: 22 cases. Data collected included perforation duration, preoperative Eustachian Tube Score（ETS）, pure-tone audiometry, otoscopic findings, and postoperative follow-up data on pure-tone thresholds, otoscopic outcomes, and complications such as graft infection and otorrhea. Results: The mean postoperative follow-up period was 4 months （range: 3-12 months）. A total of 74 patients were enrolled, including 40 undergoing butterfly cartilage tympanoplasty and 34 receiving full-thickness cartilage inlay tympanoplasty. In the <3 mm perforation subgroup, the patients receiving butterfly technique （23 cases） exhibited a postoperative air-bone gap （ABG） improvement of （2.33±8.21） dB, and those receiving the inlay technique （12 cases） showed an ABG improvement of （2.49±7.9） dB, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups （P>0.05）. In the 3-5 mm perforation subgroup, the patients receiving butterfly technique （17 cases） demonstrated an ABG improvement of （8.16±5.69） dB, and those receiving the inlay technique （22 cases） achieved an ABG improvement of （8.08±10.42） dB, which were not significantly different （P>0.05）. Tympanic membrane healing rates across the four subgroups were 95.65%, 94.12%, 100%, and 95.45%, respectively, with no statistically significant differences （P>0.05）. Conclusion:In patients with tympanic membrane perforations ≤3 mm and 3-5 mm, butterfly cartilage tympanoplasty achieves comparable audiological outcomes to full-thickness cartilage underlay tympanoplasty. Compared with the underlay technique, the butterfly method is less invasive, preserves the normal anatomical structure of the tympanic membrane, requires a shorter dry ear period, and yields higher patient satisfaction. Therefore, it can be safely recommended for perforations ≤5 mm that do not require tympanotomy exploration.
Humans ; Tympanic Membrane Perforation/surgery* ; Tympanoplasty/methods* ; Treatment Outcome ; Endoscopy ; Cartilage/transplantation* ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Myringoplasty/methods* ; Otitis Media, Suppurative/surgery* ; Aged

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficiency of autologous conchal cartlage in ossicular chain reconstruction in patients with chronic suppurative otitis media. METHOD: Seventy-three cases of chronic suppurative otitis media (COM) with or without cholesteatoma who had undergone mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty and ossicular chain reconstruction(OCR) using autologous conchal cartilage as prosthesis were studied retrospectively. Sixty-six cases of COM who had undergone mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty and without OCR were studied as control. The examination of pure tone hearing level of air conduction(AC) and bone conduction(BC) was done before operation, 2 months and 6 months after operation respectively. The pure tone average (PTA) of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 kHz was observed. RESULT: The average air conduction gain was more than 15dB or the PTA (AC) was less than 25 dB 2 months after operation in 35 out of 73 cases who had undergone OCR. Nevertheless, the data became 56 out of 73 cases 6 months after operation. In the control group, The average air conduction gain was more than 15dB or the PTA(AC) was less than 25 dB 2 months after operation in 10 out of 66 cases who had not undergone OCR. The data became 14 out of 66 cases 6 months after operation. In OCR group, air bone gap(ABG) was less than 20 dB in 39 cases 2 months after operation and in 57 cases 6 months after operation. In the control group without OCR, ABG was less than 20 dB only in 11 cases 2 months after operation and in 16 cases 6 months after operation. By statistically analysis, there was significant difference of postoperative hearing improvement between the two groups. CONCLUSION The autologous conchal cartilage can be used as the material of prosthesis for ossicular chain reconstruction in the operation of chronic otitis media. It has many advantages, such as easily--obtained, good histocompatibility, easy to shape and so on.
Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Bone Conduction ; Cartilage ; transplantation ; Cholesteatoma ; surgery ; Chronic Disease ; Ear Auricle ; Hearing ; Humans ; Mastoid ; surgery ; Ossicular Prosthesis ; Ossicular Replacement ; Otitis Media, Suppurative ; surgery ; Postoperative Period ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Tympanoplasty

OBJECTIVE: To observe the short-term results of Tos modified combined approach tympanoplasty (MCAT) in chronic suppurative otitis media. METHOD: This study is an observational study. The data of 26 patients (28 ears) underwent MCAT were collected. The surgical techniques, complications and preoperative and postoperative air-bone gap (ABG) were analyzed. RESULT: Of 28 ears, 26 ears (92.86%) get dry after surgery. 3 ears (10.71%)repaired tympanic membranes and reperforate postoperatively in which 2 minimal perforations were cured to close up patient treatment. One ear develops posterosuperior retraction pocket and one ear re-occurs cholesteatoma. One ear occurs blunting in the anterior sulcus and one ear has lateralization of the tympanic membrane. There are no hearing worsen and facial nerve palsy. For hearing, the postoperative pure tone threshold is better than preoperation (42.8 +/- 17.97 vs 47.49 +/- 18.01, P < 0.05) and postoperative ABG shrinks significantly (19.76 +/- 7. 49 vs 30.65 +/- 10.02, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Based on the short-term results, Tos' MCAT can successfully dissect the diseases of tympanic cavity and mastoid and develop a stable aerating middle ear with a complete hearing conduction. It is safe and feasible in the treatment of chronic suppurative otitis media, as well as in the poor-pneumatic mastoid.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Otitis Media, Suppurative ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Tympanoplasty ; methods ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the rarely reported ocular complications following surgery of chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) and explore the possible mechanisms. METHOD: The clinical data of 4,012 cases of CSOM treated with surgery were analyzed retrospectively, including age, sex, operation time, surgical approach, time of ocular symptoms presentation, duration of ocular symptoms, treatment and prognosis. RESULT: Among the 4,012 cases, 109 patients (2.72%) developed ocular complication, of which 68.81% (75/109) suffered from blurred vision, 24.77% (27/109) presented only erythema on eyelids or mild periorbital edema, 4.59% (5/109) had erythema on eyelids with periorbital edema, and 1.83% (2/109) complained of periorbital ecchymosis and edema. All of these complications recovered themselves without any sequela. CONCLUSION Ocular complications following surgery of CSOM are rarely reported. Pre-auricular incision and fascia harvesting, turbulence of venous and lymphatic drainage and preseptal cellulitis might be the risk factors. Blurred vision might be associated with eye injury during surgery and the use of anticholinergic agent.
Chronic Disease ; Eye Diseases ; Humans ; Otitis Media, Suppurative ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of the canalplasty for inlay myringoplasty. METHOD: A retrospective study was performed on 125 patients (130 ears) who underwent canalplasty and myringoplasty for the treatment of the chronic otitis media. The postauricular incisions was made, then the separation of the flap of posterior canal skin and the tympanic membrane epithelium, mill addition to part of the canal bone of the top, bottom, behind. Lift forward on the anterior canal skin, until the formation of the external auditory canal skin tube. Metal sheets was used to protect the skin tube, mill addition to the prominent bone of the anterior canal, reveal the tympanic anulus fully. Explore the ossicular chain activities, fascia covering the canal and fiber layer surface of the drum remnant was used as an inlay graft, and the canal skin was replaced. The canal was filled with hemostatic gauze and hemostatic sponge. Stitches a week after surgery. Removal of filling material in the external auditory canal two weeks after surgery, and re-filling with sterile gauze until healed. RESULT: All 125 patients had successful grafts with 100% survival rate and healed in stage I. Average improvement in air-bone gap for all patients was 8.9 dB. Stenosis of the external auditory canal and lateralization of the grafted drum did not occur. Follow-up was conducted for 1-3 years. Three ears had reperforation and eight ears had late atelectasis. Fifteen ears had myringitis and healed by halometasone cream. CONCLUSION Canalplasty is an important surgical procedure on inlay myringoplasty. It can make the narrow and curved canal to large, eliminate the prominent bone of the anterior wall, expose the perforation edge fully, further facilitate the survival of the graft and post-operative care.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Ear, External ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myringoplasty ; methods ; Otitis Media, Suppurative ; surgery ; Otologic Surgical Procedures ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Intracranial abscess is a serious, life-threatening condition with a dire prognosis. Although the advent of the antibiotic era has drastically reduced the incidence of the disease, predisposing factors such as untreated ear infections, poor personal hygiene, significant trauma with violation of the sterile cranial environment as well as existing co-morbidities such as an immunocompromised state make intracranial abscess a horrifying reality. Ear infections, in particular, are notorious for being the origin of roughly 50% of cerebellar abscesses.1 Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is one of the leading causes of brain abscess. Shaw and Russell2 reviewed 47 cases of cerebellar abscess and showed that 93% were caused by CSOM; the most common mechanism of entry into the brain parenchyma being direct extension. Chronic infection in the middle ear space could erode through the tegmen tympani and into the temporal lobe or through the tegmen mastoidei into the cerebellum. Neurological symptoms may be delayed as the abscess ‘grows’ in areas around the cerebellum that are regarded as ‘silent’, until vital areas such as those responsible for coordination and balance are violated. We describe a case of cerebellar abscess secondary to CSOM and discuss the possibility of performing ear surgery with simultaneous drainage of a contiguous abscess through a transmastoid approach in cases of chronic suppurative otitis media with intracranial complications.
Human ; Male ; Young Adult ; EAR DISEASES ; OTITIS ; Otitis Media, Suppurative ; OTITIS MEDIA-COMPLICATIONS, suppuration, SURGERY ; CHRONIC EAR DISEASE ; pain ; Headache

OBJECTIVE: To investigate on the Indication and quality of life of the canal wall up and canal wall down surgery in chronic suppurative otitis media, to provide reference for surgical options. METHOD: The clinical data of patients underwent canal wall up or canal wall down surgery are analyzed. Follow up on 312 patients are accomplished with pure tone audiometry, acoustic impedance for surgical cavity volume, ear endoscopy and the Chinese chronic ear survey (CCES). RESULT: (1) The dry ear rate of canal wall up and canal wall down surgery are 98.7% and 98.6% respectively (P > 0.05). (2) The average cavity epithelization and dry ear time are 40.1 +/- 21.2 days for canal wall up surgery and 53.5 +/- 15.0 days for canal wall down surgery (P < 0.05). The postoperative ear volume to the contralateral normal ear volume ratio are 1.16 +/- 0.10 for canal wall up surgery and 2.05 +/- 1.19 for canal wall down surgery (P < 0.05). (4) Score of the CCES: 91.2 +/- 6.8 points for canal wall up surgery and 72.0 +/- 7.7 for canal wall down surgery (P < 0.05). (5) The proportion of patients feeling change of ear appearance is 5.7% for canal wall up surgery and 80.8% for canal wall down surgery (P < 0.05). (6) Hearing after surgery: objective hearing improvement rate is 58.9% for canal wall up surgery and 24.2% for canal wall down surgery (P < 0.05) according to the questionnaire, while the pure tone audiometry shows no significant difference in hearing thresh hold and air-bone gap. (7) The satisfactory score after surgery is 9.55 points for canal wall up surgery and 8.11 points for canal wall down surgery (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION (1) Patients underwent canal wall up surgery have near-normal external ear morphology, shorter dry ear time and much higher quality of life compared to canal wall down surgery. (2) For experienced ear surgeon, the indication for canal wall up surgery can be extended to cases with diploetic or sclerotic type of mastoid and part of the cases with anatomical variation and intracranial or extracranial complications.
Acoustic Impedance Tests ; Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Chronic Disease ; Ear Canal ; anatomy & histology ; surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hearing ; physiology ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Otitis Media, Suppurative ; surgery ; Otologic Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Quality of Life ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical effectiveness of endoscopic myringoplasty with homoplastic amniotic membrane. METHOD: A retrospective study in 43 patients underwent endoscopic myringoplasty with homoplastic amniotic membrane was observed at the wound healing of tympanic membrane perforation and the hearing improve-threshold audiometry in 43 patients after surgery. RESULT: The tympanic membrane's perforation healing rate was 95.3% (41/43), and air conduction threshold audiometry in language frequency improved average 10 dB. The follow up was 1--4 years, and no recurrence or complications had occurred. CONCLUSION The endoscopic myringoplasty could be able to simple myringoplasty whose air conduction threshold audiometry in language frequency was less than 40 dB. It could be used to repair not only the central perforation in tympanic membrane, but also the marginal perforation which has residual tympanic membrane in most of the regional. Human amniotic membrane is an ideal materials for repair of tympanic membrane.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Amnion ; transplantation ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Myringoplasty ; methods ; Otitis Media, Suppurative ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Treatment Outcome ; Tympanic Membrane Perforation ; surgery ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To report the way for searching the chorda tympani nerve and the significance for preserving the chorda tympani nerve during canal-wall-down mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty surgery. METHOD: Sixty-six cases with chronic suppurative otitis media underwent canal-wall-down mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty surgery. According to the marker of the short crus of incus, the posterior wall of auditory canal was lowered and crista of the chorda tympani nerve was found through tracing the facial nerve contour. The chorda tympani nerve was preserved after clearing the surrounding tissue. RESULT: Among the 66 cases, 24 cases had middle ear cholesteatoma, 42 cases had granulation in middle ear. The cholesteatoma and granulation on the surface of the chorda tympani nerve were cleared thoroughly. No neurotmesis or obvious change of taste occurred after operation. CONCLUSION Canal-wall-down mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty surgery preserving chorda tympani nerve integrality may preserve the structure and function of the chorda tympani nerve, reduce the risk of ossicle extrusion above the head of stapes and serve as a frame for transplanting fascia.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear ; surgery ; Chorda Tympani Nerve ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Mastoid ; surgery ; Middle Aged ; Otitis Media, Suppurative ; surgery ; Tympanoplasty ; methods ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To study the neuroprotective effect of facial nerve monitoring in canal wall down of mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty. METHOD: Twenty cases of chronic suppurative otitis media were performed canal wall down of mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty under general anesthesia. Facial nerve monitoring was used during surgery to locate the facial nerve. Threshold level of kinetic current and amplitude of synchronous reaction were recorded. RESULT: Seven cases with cholesteatoma were found facial nerve partial exposured in tympanic segment or mastoid segment. 13 cases had integrated facial never canal. Synchronous myopotential response of facial nerve was evoked successfully in all cases. Electroshock threshold had significant difference between facial nerve exposed group and non-exposed group (P<0.01). No facial palsy were found in all cases. CONCLUSION Facial nerve monitoring is benefit in locating facial nerve in canal wall down of mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty and could avoid facial nerve injury during surgery.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Facial Nerve ; physiology ; Facial Nerve Injuries ; prevention & control ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Monitoring, Intraoperative ; Otitis Media, Suppurative ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome ; Tympanoplasty ; methods ; Young Adult