TOTAL ARTIFICIAL MIDDLE-EAR - PRELIMINARY-REPORT

Reconstruction of a totally empty middle ear is difficult. This study reports results of 15 patients implanted with a total artificial middl e ear developed on the principles of a total homologous middle ear and consisting of a canal wall prosthesis, a tympanic membrane/malleus pr osthesis, and an incus/stapes prosthesis. Satisfactory results were no ted in 12 of 15 patients at 1-year follow-up, with air-bone gap closur e within 30 dB; within 20 dB in seven of these twelve. However, at 3-y ear follow-up examination the total artificial middle ear was removed in seven cases due to obliteration and infection of the middle ear. Th ese failures related to the extensive middle ear disease initially not ed in these seven patients. These long-term results indicate the neces sity of careful patient selection for reconstruction.