Experience with tympanoplasty for atelectatic ears.

Atelectasis is, unfortunately, still a common sequela of otitis media with effusion (OME)--including serous otitis media (SOM) and mucoid otitis media (MOM). When atelectatic ears provide a functional deficit, i.e., a conductive loss of sufficient magnitude or a residual conductive loss after aerating the middle ear with ventilation tube or early or strongly suspected attic cholesteatoma, a simple corrective procedure has been used which has stood the test of time. The procedure as well as experience with 51 patients (60 ears) will be described and discussed. The procedure consists of re-establishing the mesotympanic space, strengthening the tympanic membrane by an underplant fascial graft, cutting the tensor tympani, extirpation of any disease, re-establishment of ossicular mobility and continuity and the insertion of a ventilation tube in the anterior drumhead remnants along with silicone rubber sheeting and a moist Gelfilm implant. Methods and results are discussed.