Tympanoplasty with ionomeric cement.

Patients with isolated erosion of the long incus process suffer from severe hearing loss caused by lack of continuity of the ossicular chain. This study is a retrospective evaluation of the hearing results using two different surgical procedures. Since January 1993, 12 consecutive patients with isolated erosion of the long incus process have been treated with a new surgical technique in which the ossicular chain was rebuilt with ionomeric cement. The results in hearing performance (mean pure-tone average (PTA) 0.5, 1 and 2 kHz) were evaluated pre- and post-surgery, and compared to those in a group of 20 historical controls who underwent surgery in 1991 and 1992 using incus autograft interposition. Among the 12 index patients, 7 (58%) achieved improvement in PTA of > 10 dB, in 3 there was no difference and in 2 a slight decline. Among the 20 controls, 14 (70%) achieved improvement in PTA of > 10 dB, in 4 there was a slight improvement and in 2 a decline. The difference was not statistically significant. Hearing improvement using ionomeric cement in type II tympanoplasty was satisfactory. Reconstruction of the ossicular chain with ionomeric cement is recommended, as the procedure is easy to perform, presents less risk of damage to the stapes and cochlea, requires less extensive surgery and does not exclude other surgical methods in cases of reoperation.