Does Checking the Placement of Ossicular Prostheses via the Posterior Tympanotomy Improve Hearing Results After Cholesteatoma Surgery?

Introduction: Posterior tympanotomy (PT) is often performed during the surgical management of middle ear cholesteatoma with extension in the retrotympanum area. This PT can also be used to control the right position of the ossicular prosthesis masked by the tympanic membrane reconstruction.

Objective: To compare audiologic results after ossiculoplasty performed via the outer ear canal and via the PT for patients with cholesteatoma.

Bone quality and biomechanical function: a lesson from human ossicles.

In humans, the middle ear contains a chain of three ossicles with a major highly specific mechanical property (transmission of vibrations) and modeling that stops rapidly after birth. Their bone quality has been rarely studied either in noninflammatory ossicles or in those from ears with chronic inflammation. Our primary goal was to assess bone microarchitecture, morphology and variables reflecting bone quality from incuses, in comparison with those from human femoral cortical bone as controls.