Secondary neotympanic membrane and total ossicular chain reconstruction. A preliminary report.

This new tympanoplasty technique with homo-ossicles (25 cases) has evolved as a reliable, effective, and durable technique to construct the middle ear conduction system when the total ossicular chain is missing. The isolated footplate is driven by two (primary and secondary) neotympanic membranes; hence this new technique is designated as "twin tympanoplasty." The initial hearing results (air-bone gap closure to 10 dB or less in 88% of the cases) have been good, and follow-up (six to 14 months) audiograms suggest that the hearing gain may survive the test of time. Toenail autograft could be one substitute for the ossicle as proved by satisfactory results in five cases.