OBJECTIVE To assess the efficacy of partial ossicular chain reconstruction using autologous cartilage. DESIGN Prospective study (April 1, 1997, through January 1, 2008). SETTING Tertiary academic children's hospital. PATIENTS Two hundred forty-eight children (268 ears) underwent partial ossicular chain reconstruction using a shaped block of tragal cartilage interposed between the head of ...

OBJECTIVES Despite the increasing number of research concerning the applications of the Laser Doppler Vibrometry (LDV) in medicine, its usefulness is still under discussion. The aim of this study is to present a methodology developed in our Department for the LDV intraoperative assessment of ossicular chain reconstruction. METHODS Ten patients who underwent "second look" tympanoplasty were in...

Among the many existing hearing problems, there are those that need to be corrected through the replacement of the ossicles of the middle ear with a prosthesis. The type of the prosthesis used in the rehabilitation of the middle ear, total ossicular replacement prosthesis (TORP) or a partial ossicular replacement prosthesis (PORP) depends of the level of the ossicular impairment [1,2]. In the p...

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS To assess the medium-term efficacy of total ossicular reconstruction with a titanium total ossicular replacement prosthesis (TORP) in children. STUDY DESIGN Case series. METHODS A consecutive series of children receiving an adjustable-length titanium TORP was identified from a prospective surgical and audiological database. Audiometric testing was obtained preoperative...

BACKGROUND Total ossicular replacement prostheses (TORP) are often used to re-establish ossicular coupling of sound in an ear lacking a stapes supra-structure. The use of TORPs, however, is associated with a 2/3 five year failure rate due to their anatomic instability over time in the middle ear. The use of autologous fat to try and stabilize TORPs may improve long-term results with this challe...