Abstract:

Objective：To compare the improvements of hearing function in tympanoplasty with titanium artificial ear bone and with
autologous bone. Methods: The study was first a retrospective review of the medical records of 71 patients during the period from April
2013 to April 2015, of whom 31 patients underwent tympanoplasty with titanium artificial ear bone while 40 patients with autologous
bone. Then we compare the air conduction hearing threshold and the air-bone gap（ABG）in the pre-operation and within six months
after the surgery. Results：There were significant differences in 31 cases with titanium artificial bones in which 0.5-4.0 kHz average
air conduction hearing thresholds were（56.35 ± 11.56）dB pre-operatively and（37.07 ± 10.13）dB post-operatively, and ABG were
（35.13 ± 9.13）dB pre-operatively and（15.85±4.12）dB post-operatively（P<0.05）. Significant differences could also be detected in
the other 40 patients with autologous bones who had 0.5-4.0 kHz average air conduction hearing thresholds（58.16 ±13.15）dB preoperatively
and（43.48 ± 13.03）dB post-operatively, and air-bone gaps（30.83 ± 8.88）dB pre-operatively and（18.96 ± 5.41）dB
post-operatively（P<0.05）. Mean ABG of the two groups were narrowed to 19.28 dB and 11.87 dB post-operatively, respectively.
Comparison showed that the group with titanium artificial bones had a better improvement in hearing function post-operatively than the
group with autogenous bones. There were significant difference in the comparison（P<0.05）. Conclusion：In the middle ear surgery
titanium artificial bone is an ideal prosthesis in ossicular chain reconstruction which can help restore and improve the patient's hearing
function much better.

Key words: titanium artificial bone, autologous bone, ossicular chain reconstruction, middle ear surgery