Myringoplasty with simple mastoidectomy: results in eighty-two consecutive patients.

Eighty-two patients underwent myringoplasty combined with simple mastoidectomy when preoperative indicators suggested an increased risk of failure with myringoplasty alone. Indications for mastoid exploration included (1) chronic aural discharge, (2) suspicion of cholesteatoma, (3) previous failed myringoplasty, and (4) small sclerotic mastoid. Healing of perforations was successful in 71 patients (86.6%), and the air-bone gap was closed to within 20 dB in 85%. No mastoidectomy-related complications occurred, nor was there a tendency to form postoperative cholesteatoma. Simple mastoidectomy is considered to be a safe and effective adjunct to myringoplasty in selected cases of chronic otitis media with perforation.