Late results in tympanoplasty. Staging the operation.

Based on the late results of tympanoplasty on 300 ears and of one-stage mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty on 269 discharging ears, the problems involved in staging tympanoplasty are discussed. The results of one-stage operations were found to be satisfactory 2-10 years after operation. The frequency of recurrent cholesteatoma was low, 3.4%. Instead of two-stage operations, re-operation is recommended in cases of functional failure and in cases in which further improvement of hearing can reasonably be expected.