Titanium versus Hydroxyapatite Prostheses: Comparison of Hearing and Anatomical Outcomes after Ossicular Chain Reconstruction.

Overview

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare hearing and anatomical outcomes after ossicular chain reconstruction with titanium or hydroxyapatite prostheses. METHODS: In this study, patients who underwent tympanoplasty and ossicular chain reconstruction with titanium or hydroxyapatite prostheses at a university hospital from January 2007 to February 2013 were retrospectively reviewed; they had a minimum follow-up period of 6 months. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to the type of prostheses. The surgical procedure, follow-up examinations, preoperative, and postoperative audiometry results were noted and evaluated for partial and total prostheses. The results were compared both for titanium and hydroxyapatite prostheses. RESULTS: The study subjects included 51 patients. Titanium had better hearing results in partial prostheses (p<0.05), while the anatomical outcomes were similar. Nevertheless, both types had similar results in total prostheses (p>0.05). The extrusion rate was 5.8% for all patients. CONCLUSION: Both types of prostheses had satisfactory functional and anatomical results and no preponderance could be stated, except for the hearing results of partial titanium prostheses.