title: Stabilization of total ossicular replacement prosthesis using cartilage "shoe" graft.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to determine the effect of a cartilage shoe graft placed between the foot of the TORP and the stapes footplate on hearing improvement and long-term displacement rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who underwent TORP ossiculoplasty were divided into two groups. The TORP-alone group consisted of 32 patients who underwent TORP placement without cartilage shoe graft and served as the control group. The study group consisted of 56 patients who underwent placement of cartilage shoe graft together with TORP. Pure-tone audiometry was administered to all patients before and 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery. Indications for surgery, surgical technique used, postoperative complications, and air and bone conduction thresholds at 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz were recorded for all patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference in postoperative air-bone gaps was observed between the groups. The number of patients with air-bone gaps less than 20 dB was 14 (25%) in the study group and 8 (25%) in the control group. There was no significant difference in changes in air-bone gaps between the groups. Dislocation of the prosthesis was observed in 3 patients in the study group (5.3%) and 4 in the control group (12.5%). There was less dislocation of the prosthesis in the study group, but the difference was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Placement of a cartilage graft between the footplate of the stapes and the foot of the prosthesis may have positive effects on long-term hearing improvement and rates of prosthesis displacement. Further research with larger patient numbers is needed to identify the advantages of shoe graft.
authors.affiliation: Palandoken State Hospital, Otorhinolaryngology Clinics, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nihal Efe
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Atila
authors.affiliation: Palandoken State Hospital, Otorhinolaryngology Clinics, Erzurum, Turkey. Electronic address: korhankilic@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Korhan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kilic
authors.affiliation: Ataturk University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Erzurum, Turkey; Gaziosmanpasa University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Muhammed Sedat
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Sakat
authors.affiliation: Ataturk University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Enver
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Altas
authors.affiliation: Ataturk University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Erzurum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Harun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ucuncu
authors.affiliation: Gaziosmanpasa University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health, Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yunus Emre
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Bulut
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001844:Bone Conduction / Q000502:physiology*; D002356:Cartilage / Q000637:transplantation*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009998:Ossicular Prosthesis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult