LATE ANATOMICAL AND FUNCTIONAL RESULTS OF OPEN-CAVITY TYMPANOMASTOIDECTOMY

Material and method: In this study, 114 cases who had open-cavity tympanomastoidectomy and hearing reconstruction at the same time for chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma in our clinic, between January 1994 and December 1997 were retrospectively chart reviewed. The peroperative and postoperative clinical and audiological datas of these patients were evaluated and 50 cases who came to visits properly and had audiological tests were included in the study. In clinical datas, surgical techniques, complications, the status of cavity and the number of visits necessary for cavity cleaning, medical therapies and the hearing results of pre- and postoperative period were analyzed.

Results: The mode age of the cases who were included in the study was 23.5 (between 9-56). The last examinations were performed 10-14 years postoperatively and at that period of time 96% of the cavities were dry and self-cleaning, while only 4% of them were humid. Air-bone gap values at the late controls were lower than 20 dB in 34% of the cases and gain was more than 10 dB in 46% of them. The mean preoperative pure-tone air threshold was 51.0±16.51 dB and after the last examinations this value was 45.9±17.12 dB (p=0.031). Surgical revisions were performed for the recurrens of cholesteatoma in 10% and for the perforation of greft in 20% of the cases.

Conclusion: With our late anatomical and functional results, we can say that, open-cavity tympanmastoidectomy in chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma is still a good choice of surgical therapy with low and acceptable rates of recurrens and cavity problems and hearing results were comparable with intact-canal tympanomastoidectomies. Keywords : Open-cavity tymapnomastoidectomy; anatomical results; functional results; long term, cholesteatoma