Ossiculoplasty with intact stapes: analysis of hearing results according to the middle ear risk index

Conclusions. In ossiculoplasty with intact stapes, using autologous incus, cortex bone chips and plastipore partial ossicular reconstruction prostheses, improvement in hearing was nearly equal. In patients who had mild risk scores, the incus had better gain values compared with patients who had severe scores. Objective. We aimed to prove the utility of the middle ear risk index score and its predictive value in hearing outcome. We also evaluated hearing results for different reconstruction materials. Patients and methods. This was a retrospective chart review of 189 patients who had ossiculoplasty with intact stapes using autologous incus, cortex bone chips and plastipore partial ossicular reconstruction prostheses. Hearing outcomes and the average improvement in hearing with different reconstruction materials were analysed by using middle ear risk index scores. Results. The average hearing improvements for incus, cortex and partial ossicular reconstruction prostheses were 12.77 +/- 14.58 (p < 0.001), 12.34 +/- 15.98 (p = 0.005) and 14.10 +/- 13.87 dB (p < 0.001), respectively. The postoperative air-bone gap levels were 20.42 +/- 14.54 dB in incus, 17.33 +/- 16.86 dB in cortex and 17.59 +/- 11.66 dB in partial ossicular reconstruction prostheses. When the preoperative middle ear risk index scores and postoperative air-bone gap and gain values were compared, in the incus group, statistically significant associations were demonstrated between scores and hearing outcomes (p = 0.009).