Prognostic factors for short-term outcomes after ossiculoplasty using multivariate analysis with logistic regression.

OBJECTIVE To investigate prognostic factors for short-term hearing outcomes after ossiculoplasty. DESIGN Retrospective study. SETTING Tertiary referral and academic center. PATIENTS Seven hundred twenty patients who underwent ossiculoplasty performed by a single surgeon from January 1, 1989, through December 31, 2006, and who were followed up for longer than 1 year. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Hearing outcomes were considered successful if the postoperative air-bone gap was 20 dB or less. The prognostic factors were analyzed using multivariate analysis with logistic regression. RESULTS Hearing outcomes were successful in 505 patients (70.1%). Presence of the stapes superstructure, presence of the malleus handle, normal mucosa, normal stapes mobility, and use of local anesthesia were significantly favorable predictive factors. CONCLUSIONS Multivariate analysis should be performed to investigate prognostic factors of favorable short-term hearing outcomes after ossiculoplasty. Better knowledge of these predictive factors may contribute to the surgeon's judgment and the information given to patients.