Objective:To analyze the surgical efficacy and safety of tympanoplasty with and without mastoidectomy for the treatment of active simple chronic suppurative otitis media（CSOM）, and to investigate whether mastoidectomy can be avoided in tympanoplasty for active CSOM. Methods:The clinical data of 55 patients（55 ears） with active CSOM were retrospectively analyzed. Based on the development of the mastoid process and the upper tympanic chamber, patients who met the criteria for wall-up mastoidectomy were classified as group A （30 patients）, and underwent tympanoplasty combined with wall-up mastoidectomy. Patients who did not meet the criteria for wall-up mastoidectomy were classified as group B（25 cases）, and underwent tympanoplasty with the opening of the middle and upper tympanic chambers and sinus drainage after partial removal of the shield plate bone. The survival rate of tympanic membrane grafts, hearing before and after surgery, and complications such as reperforation were compared between the two groups at 3 months postoperatively. Results:The overall postoperative tympanic membrane survival rate of patients with active CSOM was 96.4%（53/55）, including 96.7% in group A; 96.0% in group B. There was no significant difference in the tympanic membrane survival rate between the two groups（P>0.05）. The postoperative mean air-bone gap（ABG） was significantly reduced in both groups compared with the preoperative period, but there was no significant difference in ABG gain between the two groups（P>0.05）. No patients experienced serious adverse conditions such as peripheral facial paralysis, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, or sensorineural deafness after surgery. Conclusion:Microscopic tympanoplasty with patency of the middle and upper tympanic chambers and tympanic sinus drainage can be used to treat active simple chronic otitis media with satisfactory tympanic membrane viability and hearing improvement efficacy. This approach reduces patient trauma, prevents complications such as skin depressions in the mastoid area due to abrasion of the mastoid bone, and shortens the waiting time before surgery.
目的：分析鼓室成形术伴与不伴乳突切开治疗活动期单纯型慢性化脓性中耳炎（chronic suppurative otitis media，CSOM）的手术疗效及安全性，探讨在活动期CSOM鼓室成形术中是否可以避免开放乳突。 方法：回顾性分析55例（55耳）活动期CSOM患者的临床资料，根据患者乳突及上鼓室发育情况，将有条件完成完壁式乳突切开术的患者为A组（30例），行鼓室成形术联合完壁式乳突切开术。无条件完成完壁式乳突切开术的患者为B组（25例）采用去除部分盾板骨质后通畅中、上鼓室及鼓窦引流，同时完成鼓室成形术。比较2组患者术后3个月鼓膜移植成活率、手术前后的听力情况及再穿孔等并发症情况。 结果：活动期CSOM患者术后整体鼓膜成活率为96.4%（53/55），其中A组为96.7%；B组为96.0%，2组患者鼓膜成活率差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。2组患者术后平均气骨导差值（ABG）较术前均有明显缩小，但2组患者ABG增益差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。所有患者术后均无周围性面瘫、脑脊液漏、感音神经性聋等严重不良情况。 结论：显微镜下采用通畅中上鼓室、鼓窦引流后的鼓室成形术治疗CSOM可获得满意的鼓膜成活率和听力提高疗效。且减少患者的创伤，防止因磨除乳突骨质后发生乳突区皮肤凹陷等并发症，缩短手术前的等待时间。.

Objective:To investigate the changes in hearing threshold of the acquired primary cholesteatoma of the middle ear with different degrees of eustachian tube dysfunction after balloon eustachian tuboplasty. Methods:This retrospective study included forty cases with middle ear cholesteatoma and eustachian tube dysfunction who underwent open mastoidectomy + tympanoplasty + balloon eustachian tuboplasty were enrolled. All patients were admitted from November 2020 to April 2022. The preoperative eustachian tube score of 0-2 were defined as the lower group, and the scores of 3-5 were defined as the higher group. Pure tone audiometry was measured preoperatively and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively. The average value of bone conduction threshold and air conduction threshold of 250-4 000 Hz were calculated, and the air-bone gap was calculated simultaneously. SPSS 25.0 was used for statistical analysis. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:In the lower group, the air conduction threshold and air-bone gap at 3 months postoperatively were significantly decreased in comparison with those preoperatively（P<0.05），as was the air-bone gap at 6 months postoperatively（P<0.05）. In the higher group, the air conduction threshold and air-bone gap were significantly decreased at 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively（P<0.05）. Conclusion:The air conduction threshold and air-bone gap of patients with the acquired primary cholesteatoma of the middle ear and eustachian tube dysfunction were significantly decreased after eustachian tube balloon dilatation. Hearing improvement lasted longer in patients with slight eustachian tube dysfunction.
目的：探讨咽鼓管功能障碍程度不同的后天原发性中耳胆脂瘤患者行咽鼓管球囊扩张术后的听力变化情况。 方法：回顾性分析2020年11月至2022年4月行开放式乳突切开+鼓室成形+咽鼓管球囊扩张术的后天原发性中耳胆脂瘤伴咽鼓管功能障碍患者40例，术前咽鼓管评分为0～2分者为低分组，3～5分者为高分组。分别于术前、术后1、3、6及12个月测量患者纯音听阈，计算250～4 000 Hz骨导听阈、气导听阈平均值，并计算气骨导差。通过SPSS 25.0进行统计学分析，以P<0.05表示差异有统计学意义。 结果：低分组术后3个月时的气导听阈和气骨导差较术前降低（P<0.05），术后6个月的气骨导差较术前降低（P<0.05）。高分组术后3、6和12个月的气导听阈和气骨导差较术前降低（P<0.05）。 结论：后天原发性中耳胆脂瘤伴咽鼓管功能障碍患者行咽鼓管球囊扩张治疗后，气导听阈和气骨导差较术前明显改善，咽鼓管功能障碍程度较轻的患者听力改善维持时间更持久。.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to establish the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) and assess the responsiveness of the Chinese version of Zurich Chronic Middle Ear Inventory (ZCMEI-21-Chn).
METHODS: Prospective multicenter study.
METHODS: Four Chinese tertiary referral centers admitting patients nationwide.
METHODS: 230 adult patients with chronic otitis media (COM) undergoing tympanoplasty.
METHODS: Patients were required to complete the ZCMEI-21-Chn to measure health-related quality of life both preoperatively and postoperatively. An anchor-based method was used to determine the MCID of the derivative cohort by including the Global Rating of Change Questionnaire as an anchor. The generalizability and consistency with functional outcomes of the MCID estimates were externally examined in a validation cohort using a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.
RESULTS: A total of 161 and 69 patients were included in the derivative and validation cohort. The mean preoperative and postoperative ZCMEI-21-Chn total scores were 28.4 (standard deviation [SD] 14.5) and 17.5 (SD 12.6). The mean change in ZCMEI-21-Chn score was 10.9 (SD 14.3, p < 0.001). The MCIDs of the ZCMEI-21-Chn for improvement and deterioration were estimated at 13 (SD 13.0) and -7 (SD 12.9), accordingly. For patients who have reported an improved health-related quality of life, a cutoff value of 15.6 dB HL for elevation of the air-conducted hearing threshold was noticed. However, change of clinical importance judged according to MCID and Japan Otological Society criteria disagreed with each other, notably with a Cohen\'s kappa ( κ ) of 0.14 ( p = 0.21) in the validation cohort.
CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to establish the MCID of a COM-specific questionnaire in Chinese. For the COM population undergoing surgical intervention, MCID values of 13 for improvement and -7 for deterioration are recommended. The results were externally validated to be generalizable to nationwide usage, yet distinguishable from the audiological criteria. The availability of the MCID greatly adds to the clinical utility of the ZCMEI-21-Chn by enabling a clinically meaningful interpretation of its score changes.

Primary objective of this study was to compare the role of canalplasty in tympanoplasty, with that of only tympanoplasty, in patients of chronic suppurative otitis media with narrow external auditory canal and moderate to large central perforation, in terms of hearing improvement, graft uptake, intra operative ease. This study included 60 patients with chronic mucosal otitis media with narrow external auditory canal, with moderate to large central perforation, presenting to our institution from September 2019 to August 2021. Group A consisted of 30 patients, who underwent tympanoplasty with canalplasty and Group B consisted of 30 patients, who underwent tympanoplasty without canalplasty. Both the groups were followed up for 3 months, compared and analysed for hearing improvement and graft uptake. The results of our study indicated that Group A achieved 93.3% graft uptake rates compared to group B which achieved 80%. In Group A gain in air bone gap was 12.43 dB, whereas in Group B it was about 9.50 dB. Group A had significant hearing improvement and better graft uptake compared to Group B. It is advantageous to perform canalplasty prior to tympanoplasty in patients with narrow external auditory canal in whom the entire rim of annulus is not visible in one microscopic view. It yields better hearing improvement and graft uptake and prevents lateralization of the graft.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the outcomes of exoscopic versus microscopic type 1 tympanoplasty.
METHODS: Retrospective chart review.
METHODS: Tertiary care otology-neurotology practice.
METHODS: Adult subjects with a diagnosis of tympanic membrane perforation from 2018 to 2022.
METHODS: Exoscopic or microscopic tympanoplasty with cartilage + perichondrium or perichondrium/fascia graft.
METHODS: Primary outcomes were graft success rate (1 wk, 3 wk, 3 mo, and 6 mo postoperatively) and operative time. Secondary outcomes included audiometric outcomes of postoperative air-bone gap (ABG), change in ABG, pure tone average (PTA), speech reception threshold (SRT), and word recognition score (WRS) at 6-month follow-up and complication rates of cerebrospinal fluid leak, facial nerve injury, persistent tinnitus, and persistent vertigo.
RESULTS: Seventy-one patients underwent type 1 tympanoplasty by a single surgeon. Thirty-six patients underwent exoscopic tympanoplasty, and 35 patients underwent microscopic tympanoplasty. Cartilage and perichondrium were utilized in 27 subjects (75.0%) in the exoscopic group and in 25 subjects (71.4%) in the microscopic group (p = 0.7, Cramer\'s V = 0.04). Graft success rate was as follows (exoscope versus microscope): 100% (36/36) versus 100% (35/35) at 1 week (p = 1.0, Cramer\'s V = 0.0), 97.2% (35/36) versus 100% (35/35) at 3 weeks (p = 1.0, Cramer\'s V = 0.1), 97.2% (35/36) versus 94.3% (33/35) at 3 months (p = 1.0, Cramer\'s V = 0.07), and 91.7% (33/36) versus 91.4% (32/35) at 6 months (p = 0.7, Cramer\'s V = 0.0). Operative time was 57.7 minutes for the exoscopic group and 65.4 minutes for the microscopic group (p = 0.08, 95% CI [-16.4, 0.9], Cohen\'s d = 0.4). There were no serious complications. All preoperative and postoperative audiometric outcomes were comparable.
CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes after exoscopic versus microscopic type 1 tympanoplasty are comparable.

UNASSIGNED: Factors related to surgical outcomes of type I tympanoplasty for tympanic membrane (TM) perforation in children are controversial.
UNASSIGNED: To investigate factors related to anatomical results of type I tympanoplasty for TM perforation 1 year after surgery.
UNASSIGNED: We examined 68 ears. Anatomical results were determined based on the presence or absence of re-perforation, atelectasis, and otitis media with effusion. We retrospectively analyzed factors based on age (≤8 and >8 years), cause and size of TM perforation (<50% and ≥50%), history of asthma and cleft palate, and size of mastoid air cell system in bilateral ears before tympanoplasty. Audiological prognosis was evaluated in ears with anatomical success 1 year after surgery.
UNASSIGNED: Anatomical success was achieved in 80.9% (55/68) of the ears. No significant differences were observed between these factors and anatomical results. All children with cleft palate had anatomical success. Mean pure-tone average (0.5-4 kHz) was 16.25 dB HL for ears with both TM perforations <50% and ≥50%.
UNASSIGNED: We observed no significant relationship between factors considered and surgical outcomes. However, audiological prognosis was favorable for anatomical success regardless of TM perforation size. Accordingly, type I tympanoplasty is considered useful for TM perforation in children.

UNASSIGNED: Inflammatory conditions such as chronic otitis media (COM) can cause irreversible impairments in the microarchitecture and functions of the incus, which subsequently leads to conductive hearing loss.
UNASSIGNED: To investigate bone mineral density (BMD) of the incus body (IB) and long process (ILP) on preoperative temporal CT in COM patients with and without incudo-stapedial joint discontinuity (ISJD), and also to determine the association between BMD values and the postoperative air-bone gap (ABG) in the ISJD group.
UNASSIGNED: The mean IB density (IBD)/occipital bone density (OBD) and ILP density (ILPD)/OBD values were compared between the patients with and without ISJD. The correlation between ABG gain and preoperative incus density values was assessed in the ISJD group.
UNASSIGNED: The mean IBD/OBD and ILPD/OBD values were significantly higher in patients with intact ISJ. There was a moderate positive correlation between postoperative ABG gain and ILPD/OBD values in the ISJD group.
UNASSIGNED: The decrease in BMD of the incus may involve ILP as well as IB in patients with ISJD caused by ILP lysis in COM. A higher preoperative ILPD/OBD was correlated with a higher postoperative ABG gain in COM patients with ISJD.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the management and outcomes of observation versus surgical intervention of tympanic membrane (TM) perforations in children with Down syndrome (DS). In addition, to estimate the prevalence of TM perforations in children with DS.
METHODS: Retrospective case review analysis of TM perforation rate in children with DS with history of tympanostomy tube (TT) insertion at a tertiary pediatric referral center. Patients were divided into observation or surgical intervention groups and then further evaluated for the type of intervention, the number of required procedures, and success rate of hearing improvement. Risk factors contributing to perforations were analyzed, including TT type, number of TT surgeries, and perforation size.
RESULTS: The TM perforation rate in children with DS with TT history was 7.0 %. Tympanoplasty was performed in 41.5 % of perforated ears with a success rate of 53.1 %. There was no statistical difference between the surgical intervention and observation groups regarding perforation characteristics or TT number and type, but the surgical intervention cohort was older. Hearing improvement based on postoperative pure tone average (PTA) threshold was noted in the successful surgical intervention group.
CONCLUSIONS: The rate of TM perforations in children with DS after TTs is comparable to the general population. Improved PTA thresholds were noted in the surgical success group influencing speech development. The overall lower success rate of tympanoplasty in patients with DS emphasizes the need to factor in the timing of surgical intervention based on the predicted age of Eustachian tube maturation.

OBJECTIVE: The definitive treatment for chronic suppurative otitis media is surgery. Surgical technique and procedure varies according to individual case findings and pathology and may require mastoidectomies in which the canal wall is preserved or lowered to eradicate disease from mastoid air cells. Surgical treatment of chronic middle ear disease carries a risk of damage to the inner ear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the noise produced by the tour system following chronic ear surgery causes sensorineural hearing loss, a condition for which not many studies have been published in the literature.
METHODS: The study consisted of a total of 49 patients with type I, type II and type III canal wall preservation and 62 patients with tympanoplasty with canal wall preservation and lowering. Bone and air thresholds were compared before and after middle ear surgery. Changes in bone and air thresholds were compared according to the type of tympanoplasty.
RESULTS: In the ICW-I, ICW-II and ICW-III tympanoplasties, and in the ICW and CWD tympanoplasties, the preoperative and postoperative values of the opposite ear hearing measurements were performed, and did not differ according to the type of surgery. There is no correlation drilling duration and hearing for the opposite ear.
CONCLUSIONS: The prevention of postoperative sensorineural hearing loss depends on multiple factors, and assessing the magnitude of hearing loss in relation to these factors is important in determining the success of the surgery.

Myringoplasty is still the most performed otological surgery. Nevertheless, the underlay vs. overlay approaches have yet to be determined. The purpose of this study is to compare the surgical and audiological outcomes of underlay and overlay myringoplasty in perforated tympanic membrane patients. A systematic review and meta-analysis synthesizing randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which were retrieved by systematically searching of Web of Science, SCOPUS, PubMed, and Google Scholar until January 25th, 2023. RevMan version 5.4 software was used to pooled dichotomous outcomes using the risk ratio (RR) with the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI). We registered our protocol in PROSPERO with ID: [CRD42023387432]. We included eight RCTs with 656 tympanic perforation membrane patients. Four RCTs had a low risk of overall bias, two had some concerns, and two had a high risk of bias. The underlay technique was significantly associated with a higher surgical success rate (n = 7 RCTs, RR: 1.21 with 95% CI [1.02, 1.43],  P = 0.03) and audiological success rate (n = 4 RCTs, RR: 1.31 with 95% CI [1.18, 1.44], P < 0.00001). This meta-analysis underscores the potential superiority of the underlay technique in managing tympanic membrane perforations, with significant implications for surgical and audiological outcomes. However, more investigations are still necessary to confirm this result.
UNASSIGNED: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12070-023-04425-6.