REVISION SURGERY FOR CHRONIC OTITIS-MEDIA - A LEARNING-EXPERIENCE - REPORT ON 389 CASES WITH A LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP

The objective of this study was to evaluate, during a long-term follow -up period, the results of revision surgery for chronic otitis media w ith or without cholesteatoma. Intact canal wall and canal wall down pr ocedures were performed. The surgical history of every patient was ass essed before the operation. A dry, relatively safe, and disease-free e ar was created in 90% of the reoperated ears (N = 389). The recurrence rate of cholesteatoma was 5% for the total group. Reperforations of t he tympanic membrane occurred in 10%, and persistent or recurrent otor rhea was present in 10% of cases. The functional hearing results were quite satisfactory A residual air-bone gap of less than or equal to 30 dB was reached in 70.3% of the cases after revision tympanoplasty onl y (N = 41). Revision mastoidectomy with revision tympanoplasty as a on e-stage procedure led subsequently, in 76% of intact canal wall proced ures (N = 113) and 55% of canal wall down procedures (N = 98), to a re sidual air-bone gap of less than or equal to 30 dB.