Background and Objectives:During the last decade, the surgical use of alloplasts has become more and more widespread among otologists. In this study, we evaluated the hearing results of ossiculoplasty using Polycel® prosthesis.
Subjects and Method:One hundred eighty eight cases who underwent ossicular chain reconstruction using Polycel® prosthesis and had been followed up postoperatively for more than 12 months at Severance Eye-ENT Hospital from 1998 to 2002 were reviewed retrospectively. Postoperative hearing results were assessed by measuring the postoperative air-bone gap (ABG) and closure in air-bone gap. Successful postoperative ABG criteria were defined as the following three groups;ABG of ≤10 dB, ABG of ≤20 dB, and ABG of ≤30 dB. Several prognostic factors such as the condition of middle ear mucosa and ossicles, presence or absence of cholesteatoma, surgical method, staging and revision surgery were analyzed.
Results:Of the total of 188 cases, 22 cases (11.7%) were ≤10 dB ABG, 96 (51.1%) cases were ≤20 dB ABG, and 158 (84.0%) cases were ≤30 dB ABG. The hearing results were good for healthy middle ear mucosa and cases which contained stapes superstructure, the hearing results were good.
Conclusion:Polycel® is a good material to be used in ossiculoplasty as a hydroxyapatite and autologous bone. In ossiculoplasty, good prognostic factors of the middle ear condition were healthy middle ear mucosa and the presence of stapes superstructure.