Comparison of short- and long-term hearing outcomes of successful inlay cartilage tympanoplasty between small and large eardrum perforations

Objectives. To compare the short- and long-term hearing outcomes after successful inlay cartilage tympanoplasty between patients with small (≤25%) and large (≥50%) eardrums perforations. Methods. This is a retrospective case series study conducted in a tertiary referral center. Twenty-five patients who underwent 27 procedures were enrolled. Their mean age was 60.26 years (range, 42 to 76 years). The mean follow-up time was 18.86 months (range, 12.30 to 35.83 months). The preoperative, initial postoperative, and long-term hearing results in patients with total repair of the eardrum were analyzed. Results. In the small size group, the average (±standard deviation) air-bone gap (ABG) closure was 1.08±7.53 dB in the short-term and 2.33±11.56 dB in the long-term hearing examinations. There was no difference between short- and long-term ABG closure (P=0.689). In the large size group, the average ABG closure was 9.77±9.40 dB in the shortterm and 16.25±6.01 dB in the long-term hearing examinations. There was a significant difference between shortand long-termABG closure (P=0.029). Conclusion. Patients with large perforations have continuous hearing improvement and ABG closure for more than one year. In contrast, the short- and long-term postoperative ABGs are almost the same in patients with small perforations. More long-term postoperative follow-up of hearing results is necessary for large perforations.