title: Is it necessary to retain the tensor tympani tendon in tympanoplasty?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the acoustic effect after canal wall-down tympanoplasty with sectioning of the tensor tympani muscle (TTM) tendon in patients with chronic otitis media.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, controlled clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2010 to April 2014, 212 patients underwent canal wall-down tympanoplasty with ossicular chain reconstruction in one-stage surgery. For this study, the patients were assigned to two groups. In group 1 (107 patients), the TTM tensor would be removed during the surgery, whereas it would be retained in group 2 (105 patients). Pre- and postoperative air conduction and bone conduction thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz were reported, and the air-bone gaps (ABGs) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean postoperative ABG was 16.0 dB in group 1 and 17.0 dB in group 2 and the ABG closure was 11.9 ± 8.5 in group 1 and 11.8 ± 9.7 in group 2. Both were not statistically different (P = .2381 and P = .9625). Overall, 84.1% of patients in group 1 and 75.2% of patients in group 2 attained a postoperative ABG of 20 dB or less. Success rate in group 1 is slightly higher than group 2, but not significant (P = .1255).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The section of the tensor tympani muscle tendon in canal wall-down tympanoplasty with ossiculoplasty had no statistically significant influence on sound transmission and can be a safe maneuver in middle ear surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  4
authors.affiliation: Department of Otology and Skull Base Surgery, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Otology and Skull Base Surgery, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.affiliation: Department of Otology and Skull Base Surgery, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Duoduo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: Department of Otology and Skull Base Surgery, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Yanqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otology and Skull Base Surgery, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Wenyi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liuyang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otology and Skull Base Surgery, Eye Ear Nose and Throat Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004429:Ear Ossicles / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013719:Tensor Tympani / Q000601:surgery*; D014433:Tympanoplasty / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Tensor tympani muscle tendon; conductive; hearing loss; ossiculoplasty; tympanoplasty