Hearing Gain in Different Types of Tympanoplasties

Abstract

Aims: The aim of the present study was to find out the hearing improvement in different types of tympanoplasties. Settings and Design:Prospective, hospital-based. Subjects and Methods : A total of 50 patients were included who were 12 years old and above, of both sexes with conductive hearing loss due chronic otitis media with or without perforation. Results: The ratio of males (28) was more as compared with females (22). Maximum number of patients belonged to the age group of 10-20 years (34%), followed by 20-30 years (30%), whereas least number of cases was found in the age group of > 50 years. Hearing loss and otorrhea were present in majority of the cases (100% and 72%, respectively). A total of 18 of the cases had cholesteatomatous chronic suppurative otitis media, while 32 ears were observed to be noncholesteatomatous chronic suppurative otitis media. The average preoperative air conduction (AC) in the present study was found to be 46.6 dB ranging from 20 dB to 112.5 dB, while the average postoperative AC was found to be 39 dB with an average gain of 7.6 dB. The four frequency average preoperative and postoperative air-bone gap (ABG) were found to be 26.48 dB and 20.17 dB respectively, with the average gain of 6.3 dB. The average ABG closure within 0-30 dB was seen in 33 (82%) of the cases. Social hearing was achieved in 86% of the cases in type I, 46% in type II, and 40% in type III tympanoplasty. Conclusions: Tympanoplasty as a procedure when indicated without compromising for the disease, can be effectively used to improve hearing in chronic suppurative otitis media, and other types of conductive hearing losses.