title: Revision ossicular reconstruction with the titanium Kurz prosthesis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  One European multicenter study has reported favorable outcomes after ossicular reconstruction with the titanium Kurz prosthesis. At the time of this study, however, no study has analyzed its outcomes when used for reconstruction after prior failure with another implant (revision reconstruction). The study reports our experience with the titanium Kurz prosthesis for revision ossicular reconstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review was made of all revision ossicular reconstructions at our institution from October 1998 to September 2001.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen cases were reviewed. Patients were divided into two groups: patients who underwent revision ossicular reconstruction with the Kurz prosthesis and patients who underwent revision ossicular reconstruction with another prosthesis (the "other" group). Audiograms were reviewed and air-bone gaps were calculated for each patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average postoperative air-bone gap after Kurz revision was 15.6 dB, a statistically significant improvement over the average postoperative air-bone gap from the "other" revision group (P =.022).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The titanium Kurz prosthesis has been an effective implant at our institution for revision ossicular reconstruction. Future research should focus on a prospective, randomized trial comparing the Kurz prosthesis with other prostheses currently in use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7070, USA. downsb@med.unc.edu,
authors.forename: Brian W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Downs
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.forename: Carlton J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Zdanski
authors.forename: Craig A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Buchman
authors.forename: Harold C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Pillsbury
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009998:Ossicular Prosthesis; D019933:Ossicular Replacement; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014025:Titanium
chemical_list: D014025:Titanium