“…In those papers that reported the ABG closure correctly, only 11.8 per cent reported the mean, SD and range of their results 6 , 19 , 22 , 29 , 42 , 44 , 51 . A one-year follow-up audiogram was conducted in only 60.1 per cent of studies 7 , 14 – 16 , 19 , 21 , 23 , 25 , 27 , 29 – 31 , 33 , 36 – 39 , 41 – 45 , 47 , 50 , 51 , 55 , 57 , 59 – 61 - Non-adherence to current guidelines can lead to over-inflated reports of successful air–bone gap closure
- This can affect the consent process and patient expectations
- Clear guidelines exist for reporting otological surgery outcomes
- Nevertheless, incorrect reporting continues and minimal datasets are still missing
- Adherence to guidelines provides accurate outcomes and inter-study comparisons
…”