Abstract
We evaluated 38 patients (41ears) with auditory ossicle malformations without deformities of the external auditory meatus at our department between 2000 and 2009. There were 13 males and 25 females, and their mean age was 20 years. Classification of the pathologic condition based on surgical findings showed separation of incudostapedial joint in 20 cases, fixation of the malleus or incus in 10 cases, and fixation of the stapes footplate in 6 cases.
Auditory ossicular reconstruction was performed by type I in 4 cases (10%), modified type III in 20 cases (49%), modified type IV in 7 cases (17%) and stapes surgery in 6 cases (16%). Postoperative hearing success rate was 82% according to the criteria of the Japan Otology Society in 2010.
Improvement in hearing after surgery was relatively high compared with tympanoplasty for inflammatory disease. However, improvement in hearing after type I or stapes surgery was not satisfactory.
