[Results of chorda tympani nerve application or no in tympanoplasty].
OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate the effect of chorda tympani nerve used in tympanoplasty.


METHODS
One hundred and forty-one cases (154 ears) were divided into 3 groups: (1) chorda applying group (CA) 35 cases (41 ears): had perforation in pars tensa but chorda nerve still exist, the nerve were applied to spring and press a PORP or TORP prosthesis which were made by auto-osseous tissue and had a fine groove for nerve inlay. (2) residual pars tensa applying group (RTP) 67 cases (72 ears): residual pars tensa was used to spring and press prosthesis. (3) no applying group. (NA) 39 cases (41 ears). The effect measurement: ABG over 30 dB as excellent over 15 dB as effective; less than 10 dB as noneffective. Three groups were analyzed by S- t test.


RESULTS
Excellent, effective and noneffective ears (%): CA group: 29.3%, 51.2%, 19.5%; RPT group: 22.2%, 50.0%, 27.8%; NA group: 19.5%, 36.6%, 43.9%; the previous two groups contrast with NA group, P < 0.01. Pre- and post-operation ABG odds and paired contract: CA and NA, P < 0.05; RTP and NA, P < 0.05. In CA group only one ear had taste letdown temporarily and another ear had delayed and mild facial paralysis, both were auto-recovered within two weeks.


CONCLUSIONS
Chorda tympani nerve applied in tympanoplasty for spring and press prosthesis can make PORP or TORP prosthesis more steady and improve hearing.
Department of Otolaryngology, Branch of Shanghai First People's Hospital, Shanghai 200081, China. qiaoyi100@hotmail.com
Yi
Y
Qiao
Wenwen
W
Chen
Yaxin
Y
Deng
Jun
J
Tong
Xiao
X
Zhong
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002648:Child; D002814:Chorda Tympani Nerve / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative; D014433:Tympanoplasty; D055815:Young Adult