Early results with titanium ossicular implants

Abstract

Objective: To report the efficacy of titanium middle ear prosthesis for ossicular reconstruction. Study Design: Retrospective chart reviews were performed for 25 patients who had undergone titanium ossicular implants between January 1, 1999, and June 1, 20001. Setting: Tertiary otology referral center. Patients: All patients had a minimum of 6 months of postoperative follow-up and no evidence of recurrent otologic disease. Intervention: All patients had undergone ossiculoplasty using titanium middle ear implants. Main Outcome Measures: Comparisons of preoperative and postoperative pure tone averages were performed. Air-bone gap closures and implant extrusion rates were measured. Results: Overall mean pure tone averages improved 22.2 dB with air-bone gap improvement at 20.9 dB. Fifty-six percent of patients achieved air-bone gap less than 20 dB postoperatively. The overall extrusion rate was 4%. However, with the placement of cartilage graft interposed between the prosthesis and the tympanic membrane, no extrusion was observed. Conclusion: Titanium implants provide comparable hearing improvement compared with other materials. The extrusion rate seems quite low if cartilage interposition graft is inserted. Its ease of handling, biocompatible properties, and sound conducting properties improve its efficacy as an ossicular implant.