Hearing evaluation after successful myringoplasty

OBJECTIVES: To assess postoperative hearing level, and factors that may have influence hearing improvement after myringoplasty. METHODS: Twenty six cases of successful myringoplasty were included in this prospective study. Patient parameters including age, gender, size and site of the perforation, mastoid status, and etiology were evaluated. Hearing levels were assessed as the mean air conduction (AC), and air-bone gap (ABG) at 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz, and their relation with aforementioned parameters were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean AC hearing gain was 22.373 dB and mean ABG reduction was 20.733 dB. The maximum AC hearing gain was 25.93 dB for subtotal perforation and 26.24 dB for big central perforation, and the maximum ABG reduction was 25.63 dB for subtotal perforation and 24.20 for big central perforation. Mean AC hearing gain was 23.01 dB, 22.72 dB, and 21.39 dB for 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz, respectively, and mean ABG reduction was 21.52 dB, 20.79 dB, and 19.86 dB for 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz, respectively. Patient age, gender, mastoid status and etiology did not seem to have any bearing on postoperative hearing improvement. CONCLUSION: While patient parameters do not seem to correlate with hearing improvement following myringoplasty, the size and location of perforation appear to have an impact on postoperative hearing outcomes. Most hearing improvement appears to occur at 500 Hz.