title: Evaluation of the organic and functional results of tympanoplasties through a retro-auricular approach at a medical residency unit.
abstract: Tympanoplasty aims at rebuilding the tympanic membrane with or without middle ear functional recovery.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the surgical results of tympanoplasties with a retro-auricular surgical approach at a medical residency unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine patients with diagnosis of simple chronic otitis media were evaluated; these patients underwent tymplanoplasty by a retro-auricular approach (underlay technique) at a medical residency unit. Patients were included in a prospective medical and audiologic investigation protocol that consisted of a clinical, otomicroscopic and audiometric evaluation. All procedures were supervised by training specialists otorrinolaringology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of surgical success - full integration of the graft - was 95% of cases. Improvement of hearing, as demonstrated in audiometry, occurred in 72% of cases. Improvement in tinnitus was demonstrated subjectively on a visual analog scale in 69% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tympanoplasty through a retro-auricular approach is easy to perform. Full graft integration occurred in 95% of cases and was independent of factors deemed by many authors as relevant. The results - improvement of the quality of hearing and tinnitus - were significant.
authors.affiliation: Medical School, Pontifical Catholic University in Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: José Carlos Bolini de
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Silvio Antonio Monteiro
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Marone
authors.forename: Oswaldo
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Martucci
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gonçalez
authors.forename: João Jovino da
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Silva Neto
authors.forename: Alice Carolina Mataruco
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ramos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001299:Audiometry; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014433:Tympanoplasty / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult