title: Reconstruction of old radical cavities and long-term results.
abstract: Various techniques and materials have been proposed to deal with the problems that concern radical cavities, such as recurrence of the inflammatory process, the need for regular medication, and social inconvenience (eg, inability to practice water sports, working in an adverse enviroment). This article provides a detailed report of the results of revalidation of old radical cavities using hydroxyapatite granules as a filling. The material was incorporated with fibrin adhesive to fill the mastoid cavity and was covered with a sheet of bone pate sealant. Twenty-eight patients with chronic discharging old radical cavities were selected for this study (mean follow-up 11.4 years; range 10-14 years). At the 6-month follow-up, grafting was successful in 25 patients, whereas the functional outcomes showed an air-bone gap below 30 dB in 18 patients. No postoperative sensorineural hearing loss was observed. The long-term follow-up demonstrated a slight worsening of the initial findings; four other patients had reperforation of the tympanic membrane, and hearing deteriorated in five patients to above 30 dB air-bone gap. These results could be a consequence of an alteration in the function of the eustachian tube and of the severity of the preoperative pathologic processes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Audiology and Phoniatrics, G. Ferreri, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy. giuseppemagliulo@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Magliulo
authors.forename: Raffaello
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Amico
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fusconi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001843:Bone Cements / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001844:Bone Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D018786:Bone Substitutes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002356:Cartilage / Q000637:transplantation; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017886:Durapatite / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005064:Eustachian Tube / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008416:Mastoid / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D014433:Tympanoplasty
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D001843:Bone Cements; D018786:Bone Substitutes; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D017886:Durapatite