EFFECT OF EUSTACHIAN CANAL OBSTRUCTION MATERIAL ON RADICAL MASTOIDECTOMY CAVITY CONTROL: RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

Method: The study was designed retrospectively. In patients who underwent radical mastoidectomy, clinical findings, and information obtained during surgery were examined. Eustachian canal obstruction materials were determined. In all patients, the middle ear risk index (MERI) score and the degree of postoperative infection and granulation were determined. In statistical analysis, complication rates before and after surgery, mean of pure tone average, and revision surgery rates were compared between the groups.

Results: 204 patients were analyzed. 59'8% (n = 122) of the patients were female and 40.2% (n = 82) were male. The mean age was 36.4 ± 16.2. The grafts for Eustachian canal obstruction were detected as; Bone (cortical bone and ossicles) in 118 (57.8%) patients, temporal muscle fascia in 32 (15.7%) patients, tragal or conchal cartilage in 23 (11.3%) patients, postauricular skin in 14 (8.3%) patients, and temporal muscle graft in14 (6.9%) patients. The degree of infection and granulation was the lowest (0.82 ± 0.18) in the cartilage graft group and the highest (2.5 ± 0.65) in the muscle graft group. In the OneWay Anova test, for the degree of infection and granulation, cartilage, and bone graft groups were found to be significantly lower than the muscle graft group. (p< 001, p< 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion: It has been shown in the literature that the development of resistant infection and granulation in the revision of the radical mastoidectomy is an important indication like cholesteatoma, and is supported by this study. Cartilage and bone grafts are superior to muscle, fascia, and skin grafts in mastoid cavity infection and granulation control without any complications. Keywords : Eustachian Canal Obstruction; Radical Mastoidectomy; Granulation; Cartilage Graft; Revision Mastoidectomy