title: Ossiculoplasty in canal wall down mastoidectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the initial and longer term success of closing the air-bone gap (ABG) to 20 dB in ossiculoplasty with canal wall down mastoidectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted at a private otologic practice. Patients included those who underwent ossiculoplasty from 1989 to 1996 with canal wall down mastoidectomy, whether primary or revision (33 from a total of 387 tympanomastoidectomies). Outcome measures included ABG closure, long-term hearing stability, mastoid appearance, extrusion, and sensorineural hearing loss.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Almost 64% of ABGs were closed to within 20 dB. The mean pure-tone average improvement was 12.3 dB. The mean PTA hearing decline in the years after surgery was slightly less than 1 dB/year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hearing improvement with a stable long-term hearing result is possible with canal wall down mastoidectomy. The potential for hearing gain is greatest for patients having larger preoperative ABGs.
authors.affiliation: Lippy Group for Ear, Nose and Throat, Warren, OH 44484, USA.
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Berenholz
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Rizer
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Burkey
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Schuring
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lippy
mesh_terms: D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D001844:Bone Conduction / Q000502:physiology*; D018424:Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008416:Mastoid / Q000601:surgery*; D019933:Ossicular Replacement / Q000379:methods*; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014433:Tympanoplasty / Q000379:methods*