[Application of hydroxyapatite in micro-otosurgery: experiment with guinea pigs and clinical application].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the feasibility of hydroxyapatite (HA) middle ear prostheses in otosurgery.


METHODS
In the animal experiment HA prostheses were put in the bilateral bullae of the ears of 12 healthy white guinea pigs (totally 24 ears). Three guinea pigs were killed every month 1-4 months later. Morphological examination and electron microscopy were conducted to observe grafts. In the clinical experiment HA prostheses was used in ossiculoplasty in 31 cases, reconstruction of posterior wall of external auditory canal in 5 cases, and mastoid obliteration in 11 cases.


RESULTS
The HA prostheses taken out from 23 ears of the guinea pigs were with normal and complete structure, and clear margin in gross anatomy and microscopically. Only one ear suffered infection. Follow-up or the patients for 1-4 years showed excellent healing of the operated parts and an improvement of hearing threshold by about 16 dBHL.


CONCLUSIONS
Hydroxyapatite with excellent physical and chemical properties and biological tolerance HA is a good material in ossiculoplasty, canaloplasty, mastoid obliteration, and other otological operations.
Liu
Yang
Y
Department of Otolaryngology, Navy General Hospital, Beijing 100037, China.
Sun
Jian-jun
JJ
Lin
Yong-sheng
YS
Jiang
Ping
P
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D017886:Durapatite; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000601:surgery*; D004429:Ear Ossicles / Q000601:surgery; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D008416:Mastoid / Q000601:surgery*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008875:Middle Aged; D036103:Nanotechnology; D009998:Ossicular Prosthesis; D019933:Ossicular Replacement / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014433:Tympanoplasty
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D017886:Durapatite