Surgical management of only hearing ears with positive indications

Abstract

Positive surgical indications for an only hearing ear were evaluated in order to improve patients' quality of life. Fifteen cases of surgery involving an only hearing ear over the past eight years were retrospectively reviewed. Of eight perforated chronic otitis media cases, seven underwent type one tympanoplasty and one underwent simple underlay myringoplasty regardless of otorrhoea at the time of surgery. Of six cholesteatoma cases, two received the canal wall up method and four received the canal wall down method. Ossiculoplasty was carefully performed in six cases. Hearing was improved in seven cases, whereas it remained unchanged in seven cases and deteriorated in one case. Of nine patients, two did not need a hearing aid after surgery. Five patients with severe combined hearing loss (>90 dB) were able to communicate with a hearing aid, alleviating their anxiety regarding hearing loss. Only hearing ears with chronic otitis media and cholesteatoma can be successfully treated by tympanoplasty with or without ossiculoplasty.

Effects of Endolymphatic Sac Decompression Surgery on Vertigo and Hearing in Patients With Bilateral Ménière’s Disease

“…Neurootologists often encounter intractable cases of bilateral MD involving recurrent vertigo attacks and/or progressive sensorineural hearing loss. The surgical options for such patients should be considered carefully because surgery can damage the ipsilateral ear, and the hearing function of the contralateral ear is often suboptimal (12,13).…”

Middle Ear Surgery in Only Hearing Ears and Postoperative Hearing Rehabilitation

“…Perez de Tagle, et al 6) performed canal wall-down mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty in 7 of 8 patients. Sakagsami, et al 7) recommended a type 1 tympanoplasty without mastoidectomy for chronic otitis media and a canal wall-down mastoidectomy with ossicular reconstruction in patients with cholesteatoma. Battaglia, et al 8) contended that one-stage canal wall-down procedures are preferable to minimize the number of times that the ear is placed at risk.…”

Simple underlay myringoplasty

“…10,11 Simple underlay myringoplasty can also be performed for perforated chronic otitis media with an only hearing ear to prevent hearing deterioration. 12,13 Fifth, no packing is necessary in either the external ear canal or the tympanic cavity. Therefore, the patient feels an improvement in hearing immediately after the operation, and the condition of the graft can be continuously observed through the post-operative course (Figures 2 a,b,c,d).…”