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Recent evidence suggests that immune mechanisms may underlie some cases of Meniere's disease. This study was conducted to determine whether an autoimmune mechanism is involved. Sera from 30 patients with Meniere's disease were reacted with human endolymphatic sacs and examined by indirect immunohistochemistry and fluorescence microscopy. Three of the samples (10%) showed positive staining, indicating immunoglobulin G (IgG) binding against the sac. No positive staining occurred when sera from healthy individuals or phosphate-buffered saline was used as a control. Clinical data showed an association between immunoreactivity and extent of disease (worse hearing over a shorter disease course and bilateral involvement). This study suggests that, in some cases of Meniere's disease, autoantibodies directed against human endolymphatic sac are present in the sera, supporting the theory that a specific autoimmune reaction takes place in a minority of patients with Meniere's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A retrospective study was conducted to assess the hearing results in patients who underwent acoustic neuroma removal via the middle fossa approach. A statistical correlation of results with preoperative clinical and audiological data determined if any prognostic indicators could be associated with successful hearing preservation. Of 93 patients included in the study, useful hearing was preserved in 54 (58%), and hearing was preserved near preoperative levels in 42 (45%). The potential for hearing preservation appeared to be inversely related to the size of the acoustic tumor, with hearing preserved in 39 (60%) of 65 patients with tumors less than or equal to 0.5 cm extension into the cerebellopontine angle. Preoperative hearing levels and electronystagmography seemed to have no prognostic value. However, auditory brainstem response showed that a wave V latency of less than 6.8 msec was associated with an increased chance of hearing preservation, and the presence of vertigo as a preoperative complaint appeared to be a good prognostic indicator of successful hearing preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little research exists to demonstrate efficacy and verification measures of the Baha® system versus traditional bone-conduction hearing aids. This study gives statistical data about 10 children who have used traditional bone-conduction hearing aids, Baha coupled to a Softband, and the Baha system implanted. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare functional gain at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz for infants and children with bilateral conductive hearing loss who were initially fit with traditional bone-conduction devices then progressed to Baha with Softband and finally to unilateral Baha implants. Research Design: Retrospective five-year chart review. Study Sample: 10 children with bilateral conductive hearing loss due to congenital atresia and/or microtia. Participants ranged in age from 6 mo to 16 yr; three were male and seven were female. Two participants were African-American, five Caucasian, and three Hispanic. Intervention: The intervention was the Baha system used in children via a Softband or implanted as compared to traditional bone-conduction hearing aids. Data Collection and Analysis: Single-factor, repeated analyses of variance were run to examine the amount of functional gain delivered by the various devices as well as the threshold measures with each device at each frequency. Results: Participants in this study showed a statistically significant improvement when using the Baha Softband over traditional bone-conduction hearing aids. An implanted Baha has statistically as much gain as a bone-conduction transducer at all frequencies tested. Conclusions: The Baha system is a valid treatment in conductive hearing loss via a Softband or implanted. It statistically outperforms the traditional bone-conduction hearing aids and should be used as a first choice in intervention rather than a last option for inoperable conductive hearing loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis is associated with otolaryngologic complaints in 70-95 % of cases, with the most common being serous otitis media. In rare cases, patients may experience facial nerve palsy in conjunction with otologic or nasal symptoms; and, often, initially present to an otolaryngologist. It is important for healthcare professionals to be able to recognize the nuisances of facial nerve palsy as a potential presentation of granulomatosis with polyangiitis., Study Design: Systematic review., Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Protocol, PubMed and MED-LINE Databases were queried for articles published from January 2007 to December 2022 describing facial nerve palsy in the context of Granulomatosis with polyangiitis, formerly known as Wegener's Granulomatosis. The keywords included "facial nerve palsy", "facial palsy", "granulomatosis with polyangiitis", "Wegener's granulomatosis", "ANCA positive" in the title/abstract. All full-text articles available in English were screened, including single case presentations. Abstracts, commentaries, and publications deemed outside the scope of our study aims were excluded from review. After removal of duplicate articles, a total of 85 articles were screened. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 articles were included in the review., Results: There were a total of 28 reports of facial nerve palsy in the literature in patients who were eventually diagnosed with granulomatosis with polyangiitis. The patients' ages ranged from 14 to 68 years old. None of the patients had been previously diagnosed with GPA, and a majority of them presented initially with other otologic symptoms. Hearing loss was reported in 24 patients (86 %), otalgia was present in 11 patients (39 %), and otorrhea was present in 6 patients (21 %). Bilateral facial paralysis was reported in 10 patients in the literature (36 %). In total, 16 patients underwent surgery for facial paralysis: 6 tympanomastoidectomies, 4 mastoidectomies, 2 explorative tympanotomies. Surgery was generally considered ineffective in resolving facial weakness. All patients ended up receiving some combination of steroids and immunosuppressant, most commonly prednisolone and cyclophosphamide or rituximab, which was eventually transitioned to azathioprine for maintenance. Unlike auditory thresholds, which remained decreased in two patients, all patients recovered facial function following appropriate medical treatment of their vasculitis., Conclusions: Facial nerve paralysis in patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis is a rare but treatable phenomenon. In patients with intractable otitis media, unresolving facial palsy, or a combination of otologic issues, it is important to consider GPA as a possible source. The prognosis for facial function appears to be excellent in patients who undergo appropriate treatment for vasculitis, but further studies are needed for confirmation., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Eustachian tube balloon dilation (ETBD) has been Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for refractory Eustachian tube dysfunction since 2016. While ETBD is generally seen as safe, the complication profile has not been well defined., Objective: The objective of this study was to utilize the FDA manufacturer and user facility device experience (MAUDE) database to better assess adverse events (AE) related to ETBD., Methods: This is a study of a multiinstitutional database maintained by the U.S. FDA. A database analysis was performed via the collaboration of multiple clinicians at tertiary referral centers. The FDA MAUDE database was queried for all medical device reports (MDR) related to ETBD devices from January 2012 to November 2022. Eighty-eight unique MDR were identified, 16 of which met inclusion criteria., Results: Three MDRs were classified as device-related (18.8%); none resulted in an AE. Thirteen MDRs (81.3%) were patient-related; all were classified as AEs. The most common AE was postoperative subcutaneous emphysema (n = 6, 46.2%). Of the patients with subcutaneous emphysema, there was a wide range of severity. The most severe AE (n = 1, 6.3%) was postoperative stroke secondary to carotid artery dissection., Conclusion: Though ETBD is generally seen as a safe procedure, there have been several concerning AEs reported to date. Increased awareness of ETBD complications can serve as a primer for improved patient education and counseling during the informed consent process and aid surgeons in clinical decision-making. Future studies with standardized reporting protocols are warranted to create a central registry for ETBD., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Objective: Evaluate barriers that deter adult patients from following through with cochlear implantation., Study Design: Retrospective chart review and phone survey., Setting: Single tertiary referral center., Patients: Between January 2019 and August 2021, 113 patients, without a previous cochlear implant (CI), were determined to be candidates for cochlear implantation. Thirty-eight (33.6%) patients deferred cochlear implantation. Survey response rate was 61.1% (22/36)., Intervention: None., Main Outcome Measures: Demographic, socioeconomic, otologic history, and comorbidity factors associated with deferment of cochlear implantation. Patient survey assessment of factors that had the greatest impact, rated on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the most impactful), on their decision to defer a CI., Results: Out of the 113 patients who met inclusion criteria, 75 (66.3%) underwent cochlear implantation and 38 (33.6%) patients deferred. Comparing implanted versus deferred groups, there was no statistical difference in age (67.1 y versus 68.5 y; p = 0.690) or male sex (53.3% versus 57.9%; p = 0.692). The deferred group had higher mean neighborhood disadvantage state decile (5.3 versus 4.3; p = 0.064) and national percentile (73.0 versus 66.2; p = 0.106) scores, although neither were statistically significant. A greater proportion of the deferred group were not living independently at time of CI evaluation (13.2 versus 2.7%; p = 0.017). Fear of losing residual hearing was rated the highest among the survey respondents (mean rating of 5.1), followed by general medical health (4.9) and cost and financial concerns (3.6)., Conclusion: The greatest concern among the patients was the fear of losing residual hearing. Spending greater time educating patients about the success and failure rates of cochlear implantation may reduce patient hesitancy with implantation., Competing Interests: The authors disclose no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022, Otology & Neurotology, Inc.)

Objective: Cochlear implant (CI) migration due to head trauma is a rare complication, and there is limited data summarizing this topic. This review seeks to provide a more comprehensive understanding of risk factors, clinical presentations, diagnosis, and intervention strategies for traumatic CI displacement., Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Protocol was followed using the PubMed and MED-LINE databases from 2000 to 2021, with manual cross-checks of reference lists of identified articles for additional relevant studies. The keywords used for database searches included "cochlear implant", "migration", "displacement", "extrusion" and "head trauma". All full-text articles available in English were screened, including single case presentations. Abstracts, commentaries, and publications deemed outside the scope of our study aims were excluded from review., Results: After the removal of duplicate articles, a total of 152 articles were screened. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 11 articles were included in the review. Due to heterogeneity of the available literature, a qualitative synthesis was employed to integrate results by identifying common themes among the relevant studies., Conclusions: The incidence of traumatic CI migration is extremely low and can be due to receiver-stimulator displacement, magnet displacement, or electrode extrusion. Migration occurred anywhere from 3 months to 26 years after implantation, suggesting that risk of migration from head trauma does not depend solely on time from implantation. There are several methods for repairing migrated CI, but there is limited data comparing operative techniques, specifically in the prevention of traumatic CI migration., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: To review a single surgeon's experience with T-tube placement through cartilage tympanoplasty versus native tympanic membrane for long-term ventilation of the chronic ear and residual perforation rates following tube removal., Study Design: Retrospective chart review., Setting: Two tertiary referral centers., Patients: One hundred sixteen patients (4-71 yr of age) who underwent either total island cartilage tympanoplasty or posterior palisade cartilage tympanoplasty with T-tube placement primarily or secondarily from 1998 to 2016., Main Outcome Measures: Long-term outcome of each T-tube was recorded with respect to retention and patency, and tympanic membrane status following either tube removal or extrusion. Audiometric data, age, sex, diagnosis, and procedure(s) performed were considered., Results: There were 116 patients (122 total ears and 139 total T-tubes) included: 57 ears underwent total island cartilage tympanoplasty with tube placed through cartilage and 65 ears underwent posterior island graft with tube placed through native tympanic membrane. Sixty-eight T-tubes were placed in the total island cartilage group with three (4.4%) residual perforations following removal. Seventy-one T-tubes were placed in the posterior palisade graft group with six residual perforations (8.5%) following removal or extrusion. The mean retention rate for the T-tubes was 3.93 years for the total island tympanoplasty group and 3.58 years for the posterior palisade tympanoplasty group. The mean follow-up for total island tympanoplasty and posterior palisade tympanoplasty was 5.36 and 5.66 years, respectively., Conclusion: Our data suggest that T-tube placement through cartilage tympanoplasty is worthwhile providing long-term ventilation to the middle ear and portends no higher risk for residual perforation than T-tube placement through native tympanic membrane.

Objective: To review a single surgeon experience with revision pediatric stapes surgery for congenital stapes fixation (CSF) and tympanosclerosis (TS). Secondly, to determine whether hearing outcomes following revision surgery may be predicted by a thorough work-up aimed at assessing whether an extruded or malpositioned prosthesis is likely to be encountered intraoperatively., Setting: Tertiary referral center., Study Design: Retrospective chart review., Patients: Fifteen patients having revision surgery for fixation of the stapes footplate over a 15-year period., Main Outcome Measures: Hearing results based on pre- and post-revision pure-tone average air-bone gap (PTA-ABG) and speech recognition threshold testing (SRT)., Results: Overall, the mean improvement of PTA-ABG following revision surgery was 11.9 dB (standard deviation [SD] 15.2) while SRTs improved by a mean of 12.3 (SD 19.9). Outcomes were significantly better in patients who reported a history of trauma following their initial surgery, when there was otoscopic evidence of an extruding or extruded prosthesis and/or a pre-revision CT (where performed) suggested an extruded or malpositioned prosthesis. No patients had a significant postoperative sensorineural hearing loss., Conclusion: Revision stapes surgery in children is a safe procedure in experienced hands which nonetheless should only be contemplated in patients in whom preoperative work-up suggests an extruded or malpositioned prosthesis is likely to be encountered intraoperatively.

Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness and impact on quality of life in patients undergoing plugging of superior semicircular canal dehiscence using the transmastoid approach., Materials and Methods: Retrospective chart review with prospective outcomes assessment, using validated quantitative scoring systems, was performed on 10 patients (23-76 years) who underwent transmastoid plugging of superior semicircular canal dehiscence between February 2014 and February 2018 at a tertiary referral center. Pre-operative and post-operative autophony and vertigo were measured by The Autophony Index and the Dizziness Handicap Index. Overall quality of life following intervention was measured by the Glasgow Benefit Inventory. Subjective improvement, audiological changes, and subjective quality of life changes were also recorded., Results: A significant reduction in the total Dizziness Handicap Index was seen following transmastoid repair of superior semicircular canal dehiscence (p = 0.0078). This was also evident when subgroup analysis of the Dizziness Handicap Index was performed, as physical (p = 0.0273), emotional (p = 0.0078), and functional subgroups were all significantly reduced (p = 0.0117). Autophony was also significantly reduced following intervention (p = 0.0312). Overall quality of life was seen to be improved following surgery as measured by the Glasgow Benefit Inventory (p = 0.0345)., Conclusion: Our data suggest that transmastoid plugging of a dehiscence in the superior semicircular canal is a safe and effective means of improving autophony, dizziness and overall quality of life in these patients. We believe that these results should be taken into consideration in discussions regarding surgical approach for patients who are contemplating this procedure., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To review a single institution experience with pediatric stapedotomy for juvenile otosclerosis (JO), congenital stapes footplate fixation (CSFF), or tympanosclerosis., Study Design: Retrospective chart review., Setting: Tertiary referral center., Patients: Pediatric patients undergoing surgery for stapes fixation from 2001 to 2017., Main Outcome Measures: Hearing result based on preoperative, first postoperative, and final postoperative pure-tone average air-bone gap (PTA-ABG). Age, sex, diagnosis, procedure performed, prosthesis, and ossicular anomalies were considered., Results: A total of 59 children (4-16 years of age) underwent surgery for stapes fixation (67 ears), with an average postoperative audiogram out to 2.88 years. Final postoperative ABG for tympanosclerosis (30.4 dB ± 10.9 dB) showed some improvement but the outcome was significantly worse than in CSFF (21.0 dB ± 11.4 dB) (p = 0.020) and JO (22.8 dB ± 14.9 dB)., Conclusion: Our data suggest, that in our clinic, surgery for stapes fixation is safe to perform in children. While we achieved desirable results for JO and CSFF, patients with tympanosclerosis showed a statistically worse hearing outcome. Tympanosclerosis deserves special consideration and may be better served with a malleovestibulopexy, total ossicular replacement prosthesis (TORP), or amplification in lieu of traditional stapes surgery.

Objective: To compare long-term hearing outcomes following ossiculoplasty with cartilage tympanoplasty with (M) and without (M) the malleus present., Study Design: Retrospective chart review., Setting: Tertiary referral center., Patients: One twenty-six patients (18-88 yr of age) undergoing ossiculoplasty with tympanoplasty or tympanomastoidectomy using cartilage tympanic membrane grafts from 1998 to 2012 with at least 5 years of documented postoperative follow-up., Main Outcome Measures: Short-term hearing results (pure-tone average air-bone gap [PTA-ABG] measured between 60 d and 1 yr after surgery), long-term hearing results (PTA-ABG measured ≥5 yr after surgery), Ossiculoplasty Outcome Parameter Staging (OOPS) index, and complications., Results: There were 46 patients in the M group and 80 in the M group. Preoperative PTA-ABG was 23.8 dB for M and 34.5 dB for M (p = 0.00001). Short-term postoperative PTA-ABG was 19.3 dB for M and 18.5 dB for M (p = 0.727). Long-term postoperative PTA-ABG was 18.2 dB for M and 19.6 dB for M (p = 0.500). The OOPS index was 4.11 and 6.41 for M and M, respectively, (p = 0.00001). Thirteen patients (10.3%) experienced complications., Conclusion: Our data suggest that the malleus is not statistically significant with regard to its impact on final audiometric outcome following ossiculoplasty. This has implications in our clinic, particularly in our use of the OOPS index as a prognostic tool, and will likely lead to its revision. These data may further support the coupling theory of acoustic gain and weaken the catenary lever theory.

Objective: To measure the time spent performing intraoperative testing during cochlear implantation (CI) and determine the impact on hospital charges., Study Design: Prospective study., Setting: Tertiary referral hospital., Patients: Twenty-two children (7 mo-18 yr) who underwent a total of 22 consecutive primary and/or revision CIs by a single surgeon from December 2016 to July 2017., Intervention: The time spent performing intraoperative testing, including evoked compound action potentials (ECAP) and electrical impedances (EI), was recorded for each case. The audiologist performing the testing was unaware of the time measurement and subsequent evaluations with regard to cost data. Billing information was used to determine if the testing contributed to increased operative charges to the patient., Outcome Measures: Whether intraoperative testing had an impact on operative charges to the patient., Results: The average time spent in testing (ECAPs/EIs in all cases) was 6.7 minutes (range, 2-26 min). No correlation was found between testing time and preoperative computed tomography findings, the audiologist performing testing, or the electrode type used (p > 0.05). Based on billing data, including time spent in the operating room (OR), 5/22 (23%) cases incurred greater charges than if intraoperative testing had not been performed., Conclusion: Our data suggest that intraoperative testing increases time in the OR and can contribute to increased hospital charges for CI patients. By using testing selectively, costs incurred by patients and hospitals may be reduced. This is of interest in a healthcare environment that is increasingly focused on cost, quality, and outcomes.

Objective: No consensus guidelines exist regarding intraoperative testing during cochlear implantation and wide variation in practice habits exists. The objective of this observational study was to survey otologists/neurotologists to understand practice habits and overall opinion of usefulness of intraoperative testing., Study Design: Cross-sectional survey., Setting: A web-based survey was sent to 194 practicing Otologists/Neurotologists., Main Outcome Measures: Questions included practice setting and experience, habits with respect to electrodes used, intraoperative testing modalities used, overall opinion of intraoperative testing, and practice habits in various scenarios., Results: Thirty-nine of 194 (20%) completed the survey. For routine patients, ECAPs and EIs were most commonly used together (38%) while 33% do not perform testing at all. Eighty-nine percent note that testing "rarely" or "never" changes management. Fifty-one percent marked the most important reason for testing is the reassurance provided to the family and/or the surgeon., Conclusion: Intraoperative testing habits and opinions regarding testing during cochlear implantation vary widely among otologic surgeons. The majority of surgeons use testing but many think there is minimal benefit and that surgical decision-making is rarely impacted. The importance of testing may change as electrodes continue to evolve.

Objective: To study long-term complications after ossiculoplasty., Study Design: Case series with chart review., Setting: Tertiary care referral center otology practice., Patients: One hundred ninety-five patients (18-88 yr of age) undergoing ossiculoplasty with tympanoplasty or tympanomastoidectomy using cartilage tympanic membrane grafts, retrograde mastoidectomy with canal wall reconstruction, or mastoid obliteration techniques between July 1998 and July 2012. The studied patients all had at least 3 years of clinical follow-up., Outcome Measures: Incidence of long-term complications, including need for revision surgery, need for secondary ventilation tube placement, recurrence of conductive hearing loss (and related etiologies), recurrent cholesteatoma, and delayed graft failure (recurrent tympanic membrane perforation)., Results: Long-term complications were observed in 10.3% (20/195) of patients. 8.2% (16/195) required revision surgery, 10.2% (17/195) required secondary ventilation tube placement, 3.6% (7/195) experienced recurrence of conductive hearing loss, 4.1% (8/195) had delayed failure of tympanic membrane graft, and 1.5% (3/195) had recurrence of cholesteatoma. Recurrence of conductive hearing loss was caused by the displacement of prosthesis in 3 of 7 patients and extensive scar tissue formation without prosthesis displacement in 4 of 7 patients. Seventy-two percent obtained a postoperative pure-tone average - air-bone gap  < 20 dB. Forty-eight percent (93/195) obtained a hearing result worse than expected based on the ossiculoplasty outcome parameter staging index., Conclusion: Long-term complications are a significant consideration in all the patients undergoing ossiculoplasty. Our data suggest that tobacco smoking, Eustachian tube dysfunction, and an unexpectedly poor hearing result on the first postoperative audiogram are all important risk factors for the development of significant complications.

Objectives/hypothesis: From a purely surgical efficiency point of view, simultaneous cochlear implantation (SimCI) is more cost-effective than sequential cochlear implantation (SeqCI) when total direct costs are considered (implant and hospital costs). However, in a setting where only SeqCI is practiced and a proportion of initially unilaterally implanted patients do not progress to a second implant, this may not be the case, especially when audiological costs are factored in. We present a cost analysis of such a scenario as would occur in our institution., Study Design: Retrospective review and cost analysis., Methods: Between 2005 and 2015, 370 patients fulfilled the audiological criteria for bilateral implantation. Of those, 267 (72.1%) underwent unilateral cochlear implantation only, 101 (27.3%) progressed to SeqCI, and two underwent SimCI. The total hospital, surgical, and implant costs, and initial implant stimulation series audiological costs between August 2015 and August 2016 (29 adult patients) were used in this analysis., Results: The total hospital, surgical, and implant costs for this period was $2,731,360.42. Based on previous local trends, if a projected eight (27.3%) of these patients decide to progress to SeqCI, this will cost an additional $750,811.04, resulting in an overall total of $3,482,171.46 for these 29 patients. Had all 29 undergone SimCI, the total projected cost would have been $3,332,991.75, representing a total potential saving of $149,179.67 (4.3%)., Conclusions: In institutions where only SeqCI is allowed in adults, overall patient management may cost marginally more than if SimCI were practiced. This will be of interest to CI programs and health insurance companies., Level of Evidence: 4. Laryngoscope, 127:2615-2618, 2017., (© 2017 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)

Background: Subjective idiopathic tinnitus is an intrusive, distracting, and potentially disabling disorder characterized by phantom perception of sounds. Although tinnitus has no approved pharmacologic treatment, recent evidence supports the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to alleviate tinnitus symptoms., Objective/hypothesis: Repetitive TMS delivered over the middle superior temporal gyrus (STG) may alter ratings of tinnitus awareness and annoyance more than loudness due to change in attentional processing. STG has reciprocal connections to regions of the prefrontal cortex that mediate attention. To probe the hypothesized influence of STG stimulation on attention, a subset of patients with tinnitus enrolled in an rTMS clinical trial [n = 12, 9 male, mean (sd) age = 49 (15) years] underwent an attentional conflict task before and after rTMS treatment in a repeated-measures functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study., Methods: The Multi-Source Interference Task (MSIT), a Stroop-based visual attentional conflict fMRI task, was used to map participants' neural processing of attentional conflict prior to rTMS intervention (Baseline) and after three rTMS intervention arms: Sham, 1 Hz, and 10 Hz (four sessions per arm, 1800 pulses per session, delivered @110% of the motor threshold over the posterior superior temporal gyrus)., Results: All measures of tinnitus severity (awareness, loudness, and annoyance) improved with 1 Hz rTMS intervention; however, the greatest and most robust changes were observed for ratings of tinnitus awareness (mean 16% reduction in severity from Baseline, p < 0.01). The MSIT elicited a similar pattern of neural activation among tinnitus participants at Baseline compared to an independent sample of 43 healthy comparison adults (r = 0.801, p = 0.001). Linear regression with bootstrap resampling showed that greater recruitment of bilateral prefrontal and bilateral parietal regions by MSIT at Baseline corresponded with poorer treatment response. Individual regions' activities explained 37-67% variance in participant treatment response, with left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex's MSIT activity at Baseline explaining the greatest reduction in tinnitus awareness following 1 Hz stimulation. Although left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activity at Baseline also predicted reduction in tinnitus loudness and annoyance (∼50% variance explained), these symptoms were more strongly predicted by right middle occipital cortex (∼70% variance explained) - suggesting that the neural predictors of symptom-specific treatment outcomes may be dissociable., Conclusion: These candidate neural reactivity markers of treatment response have potential clinical value in identifying tinnitus sufferers who would or would not therapeutically benefit from rTMS intervention., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To review our use of intraoperative testing during cochlear implantation (CI) and determine its impact on surgical decision-making., Study Design: Retrospective chart review., Setting: Tertiary referral center., Patients: A total of 197 children and adults who underwent a total of 266 primary and/or revision CI by a single surgeon from 2010 to 2015., Intervention: Intraoperative electrophysiologic monitoring including evoked compound action potentials and electrical impedances., Main Outcome Measures: Whether surgical management was changed based on intraoperative testing., Results: In only 2 of 266 patients (0.8%), the back-up device was used due to findings on intraoperative testing. In three patients (1.1%), X-ray was performed intraoperatively to confirm intracochlear electrode placement, which was found to be normal in all patients., Conclusion: Our data suggest that with respect to CI in children and adults in straightforward cases (e.g., normal anatomy, nondifficult insertion, etc.), routine intraoperative evoked compound action potentials, impedances, and imaging rarely influence surgical decision-making in our clinic and may have limited usefulness in these patients. The implications of this are discussed and a review of the literature is presented.

Objectives: To determine if the OOPS index is predictive of long-term hearing results after ossiculoplasty., Study Design: Case series with retrospective chart review., Setting: Tertiary care otology practice., Patients: Adult and pediatric patients (3-88 years of age)., Interventions: Ossiculoplasty with cartilage tympanoplasty, with or without mastoidectomy., Outcome Measures: Primary outcome measures included short-term hearing results (pure-tone average air-bone gap [PTA-ABG] measured between 60 days and 1 year after surgery), long-term hearing results (PTA-ABG measured ≥5 years after surgery), and the rate of successful ABG closure to ≤20 dB. Secondary measures included the need for revision surgery, delayed tympanic membrane graft failure, worsening conductive hearing loss (after an initially satisfactory hearing result), and recurrence of cholesteatoma., Results: There was no significant difference between adults and children for short-term hearing results (average post-op PTA-ABG was 18.9 dB vs. 19.8 dB, respectively; p = 0.544), long-term hearing results (average final PTA-ABG was 19.3 dB vs. 19.4 dB, respectively; p = 0.922), or rate of ABG closure to less than 20 dB (63.1% vs. 58.0%, p = 0.282). Spearman's rank-order correlation (ρ) identified a strong positive correlation between OOPS index score and average post-operative PTA-ABG (ρ = 0.983; p < 0.001; 2-tailed), as well as average long-term PTA-ABG (ρ = 0.950, p < 0.001; 2-tailed)., Conclusions: The OOPS index makes it possible to accurately prognosticate hearing outcomes in adult and pediatric patients undergoing ossiculoplasty in both the short term and the long term.

Objective: Compare incidences of complications following implantation of osseointegrated bone conduction devices (OBCD) between children with and without behavioral disorders., Study Design: Case series with chart review., Setting: Tertiary referral center otology and neurotology practice., Patients: Pediatric patients who underwent implantation of OBCD between May 2009 and July 2014 at Arkansas Children's Hospital., Interventions: Implantation with Cochlear BAHA 200 series, Cochlear BAHA BI300, or Oticon OBCD., Main Outcome Measures: Osseointegration failure (OIF) with resulting loss of flange-fixture and/or skin and soft tissue reactions., Results: The total rate of complications was 66.2%, with the majority being minor complications (39.4%). There was no difference in the total rate of complication (p = 0.461), minor complications (p = 0.443), major complications (p = 0.777), and minor and major complications (p = 0.762) between the control group and children with behavioral disorders., Conclusion: Behavior was not observed to influence the incidence of OIF or skin/soft tissue reactions after implantation of OBCD in pediatric patients.

Purpose of Review: The purpose of this review is to summarize current studies detailing the impact of unilateral sensorineural hearing loss in children and the most current modalities of treatment used in its management., Recent Findings: Current studies corroborate historic views on the impact of unilateral sensorineural hearing loss on patient wellbeing and academic success and stress the use of additional surveillance and studies to diagnose those patients that may pass standard screening practices and suffer from lack of prompt and proper care. With respect to management, notable findings include the continuous development of improved conventional and contralateral routing of signal amplification devices that may act to provide alternatives to percutaneous bone-anchored hearing aid implantation. These include improvements in more conventional hearing aid technology, so as to bridge the performance gap with the classical bone-anchored hearing aid implant, and the development of partially implanted transcutaneous bone conduction hearing devices. Due to dissatisfaction with sound localization, a new and significant development is the burgeoning accumulation of research on cochlear implantation for the treatment of unilateral sensorineural hearing loss in children., Summary: With advances in technology in historic modalities of treatment, and the advent of new modalities such as cochlear implantation, the clinician has a wide armamentarium by which to provide treatment to patients based on clinical circumstances and patient desires.

Objective: Despite evidence that therapeutic mastoidectomy does not improve outcomes in noncholesteatomatous chronic otitis media, it remains widely performed. An up-to-date systematic review is undertaken and conclusions drawn regarding the best evidence-based practice of its management., Data Sources: PubMed, Google Scholar, Medline Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science., Review Method: A combination of the following words was used: chronic otitis media, chronic suppurative otitis media, COM, CSOM, mastoidectomy, tympanoplasty, atelectasis, retraction, tympanic perforation, and therapeutic., Results: From 1742 studies, 7 were selected for full analysis with respect to the benefit of mastoidectomy in the management of active and inactive mucosal chronic otitis media. Most were retrospective studies, with 1 prospective randomized controlled trial available. Overall, there was no evidence to support routine mastoidectomy in conjunction with tympanoplasty in chronic otitis media. For ears with sclerotic mastoids, the evidence suggested that there may be some benefit as a staged procedure. Two studies were analyzed for the benefit of mastoidectomy in addition to tympanoplasty for the management of the atelectatic ear (inactive squamous chronic otitis media). The conclusion was also that mastoidectomy added no benefit., Conclusions: Examination of the available literature supports the notion that therapeutic mastoidectomy does not lend any additional benefit to the management of noncholesteatomatous chronic otitis media. This has implications for patient care, both clinically and financially. Further research, ideally in the form of a prospective, multi-institutional, geographically wide, ethnically diverse, randomized controlled trial, is needed to further support this notion., (© American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2016.)

Objectives: To assess long-term outcomes after secondary mastoid obliteration., Study Design: Case series with chart review., Setting: Tertiary care center., Patients: Adult patients (20-80 yr of age) undergoing secondary mastoid obliteration., Outcome Measures: Hearing results (improvement in pure-tone average air-bone gap [PTA-ABG] from baseline) at the time of postoperative audiometry and at least 5 years after surgery, anatomic outcomes (rate of successful tympanic membrane graft healing), and the incidences of observed complications., Results: An average improvement in PTA-ABG by 16.9 dB (p = 1.8 × 10) was noted. Postoperatively, the PTA-ABG was successfully closed to ≤20 dB in 39.5% (17/43) of patients. The average final PTA-ABG (obtained at least 5 years after surgery) was 25.3 dB, which was also a significant improvement over the preoperative baseline PTA-ABG (p <<< 0.01). Significant complications were observed in 14.0% (6/43) of patients, with 9.3% (4/43) requiring a subsequent surgery. Although 69.8% (30/43) of patients experienced otorrhea preoperatively, otorrhea was only observed in 4.7% (2/43) at any point in time postoperatively., Conclusion: Secondary mastoid obliteration with reconstruction of a more natural posterior canal wall, cartilage tympanoplasty, and ossicular chain reconstruction is a hybrid technique that allows for creation of a safe, dry ear with significant, long-term improvement in hearing and functional outcomes in patients with unstable mastoid cavities.

Objectives: To assess the association of a patient's ability to perform a clinically observed Valsalva maneuver with tobacco smoking and post-ossiculoplasty outcomes., Study Design: Case series with chart review., Setting: Tertiary referral, university-based otology practice., Patients: Adult patients (16-88 years of age) undergoing ossiculoplasty with tympanoplasty or tympanomastoidectomy using cartilage tympanic membrane grafts, retrograde mastoidectomy with canal wall reconstruction, or mastoid obliteration techniques., Outcome Measures: Patients were classified as Valsalva negative (Val) or positive (Val). Comparisons were then made between these two groups for smoking status, final audiometric outcomes, rate of cure of conductive hearing loss, anatomic outcomes, and incidence of significant complications after otologic surgery involving ossiculoplasty., Results: Tobacco smoking is not significantly correlated with the inability to insufflate the middle ear with the Valsalva maneuver (p = 0.557). An insignificant difference in final pure-tone average air-bone gap (PTA-ABG) was observed between the Val and Val groups (20.2 dB HL versus 18.2 dB HL, respectively; p = 0.152). Similarly, the rate of successful PTA-ABG closure to ≤20 dB HL was not significantly different between the groups (62.5% [80 of 128] of Val patients and 56.8% [54 of 95] of Val patients [p = 0.394]). Postoperative complications were seen with a higher frequency in the Val patients (16.8% [16 of 95] versus 7.0% [9 of 128]; p = 0.022)., Conclusions: A patient's inability to perform the Valsalva maneuver is not significantly associated with smoking; however, negative Valsalva status is associated with an increased incidence of significant complications after ossiculoplasty.

Objectives: To assess the impact of tobacco smoking on outcomes after ossiculoplasty., Study Design: Case series with chart review., Setting: Tertiary care center., Patients: Adult patients (16-88 yr of age) undergoing ossiculoplasty with cartilage tympanoplasty., Outcome Measures: Patients were classified as smokers (TOB) or nonsmokers (TOB). Comparisons were then made between these two groups with regard to early and late audiometric outcomes, rate of cure of conductive hearing loss, rate of successful graft healing, and incidence of complications after surgery., Results: There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to postoperative ΔPTA-ABG (change in pure-tone average air-bone gap) (-14.4 dB vs. -14.6 dB for TOB vs. TOB, respectively, p = 0.946) or final audiometric outcome (ΔPTA-ABGfinal) (-13.6 dB vs. -11.7 dB for TOB vs. TOB, respectively, p = 0.315), cure of conductive hearing loss, defined as closure of the PTA-ABG to ≤20 dB HL, at postoperative audiometry (75.0% [129/172] for the TOB group vs. 69.3% [52/75] for the TOB group, p = 0.355), late audiometry (71.4% [105/147] for the TOB group vs. 66.7% [44/66] for the TOB group, p = 0.483), or successful graft healing (99.4% in the TOB group vs. 98.7% in the TOB group, p = 0.544). However, complications were observed significantly (p = 0.0003) more often in the TOB group (34.7% [26/75]) than the TOB group (14.5% [25/172])., Conclusion: Smoking is not a significant risk factor for anatomic failure of cartilage tympanic membrane graft or worsened audiometric outcome after ossiculoplasty. However, complications were significantly more common in smokers, supporting the practice of primary tympanostomy tube placement at the time of ossiculoplasty.

Objective: Compare rates of osseointegration failure (OIF) between system 2 (200 series) and system 3 (BI300) osseointegrated bone conduction device (OCBD) models., Study Design: Case series with chart review., Setting: Tertiary referral center., Patients: Pediatric patients who were implanted with either system 2 or system 3 OCBD between May 2009 and July 2014 at Arkansas Children's Hospital., Interventions: Implantation with either system 2 or system 3 OCBD using 3- and 4-mm implants with 5.5- and 8.5-mm abutments (system 2) or 6- and 9-mm abutments (system 3)., Main Outcome Measures: OIF with resulting loss of flange-fixture., Results: OIF occurred in 28.6% (14/49) of implanted fixtures in system 2 compared with 8.0% (2/25) of implanted fixtures in system 3 (p = 0.042). The average time to complication for system 2 was 13 months compared with 3 months for system 3. The causes of OIF in system 2 were trauma (n = 4), chronic soft tissue disease (n = 5), or idiopathic in nature (n = 5). System 3 failures were both because of trauma. Using the combined cohorts, the average age of patients who experienced OIF was 8.7 years, compared with 11.4 years in patients without OIF (p = 0.047). There was no difference in OIF among 3-mm and 4-mm screws (p = 0.876), linear and flap technique (p = 0.375), or surgeons (p = 0.211)., Conclusion: System 3 OCBD showed a significantly reduced rate of OIF compared with system 2 in our study. Modification to the system 2 implant resulted in improved rate of OIF. Younger age was independently associated with a higher rate of OIF when evaluating both systems.

Objective: The titanium stapes footplate prosthesis (FPP) was designed to ensure a stable connection of a total ossicular replacement prosthesis (TORP) to the stapes footplate and maximize acoustic coupling by centering the footplate on the oval window. Our goal was to assess the impact of the FPP on TORP ossiculoplasty outcomes., Study Design: Case series with chart review., Setting: Tertiary care center., Subjects: Adult patients undergoing TORP ossiculoplasty with (n=53) or without (n=108) a stapes FPP., Methods: Rate of prosthesis displacement and audiologic outcomes were tabulated for statistical analysis., Results: A lower rate of prosthesis displacement and statistically better audiologic outcomes were seen in FPP patients. The pure-tone average air-bone gap (PTA-ABG) was closed to <20 dB in 69.8% (37/53) of patients in the study arm and 44.4% (48/108) of patients in the control arm (P=.003). The PTA-ABG was decreased by a mean±SD of 19.3±11.7 dB and 12.6±11.0 dB in the study and control groups, respectively (P=.0012)., Conclusions: Use of the titanium stapes FPP during TORP ossiculoplasty provides a statistically significant advantage in short-term PTA-ABG closure and a higher rate of successful rehabilitation of conductive hearing loss. Further studies are necessary to assess any long-term advantages a FPP may offer., (© American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2014.)

Objectives/hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to analyze the anatomical and audiologic results in pediatric Type I cartilage tympanoplasties with primary intubation. Our hypothesis was that the outcome of patients with tubes placed would be similar to those without tubes, even though the ears that received tubes were in worse condition., Study Design: Retrospective chart review of patients undergoing cartilage tympanoplasty with intubation between 2007 and 2012., Methods: All surgeries were performed or supervised by the senior author as the surgeon, using a modification of the perichondrium/cartilage island flap. All patients had a tube placed through the cartilage to allow for middle ear aeration. Hearing results were reported using a four-frequency (500, 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 Hz) pure-tone average and a pure-tone average air-bone gap (PTA-ABG). Postoperative complications were recorded., Results: During the study period, cartilage with intubation was used for tympanic membrane reconstruction in 20 patients. Of these, 10 (50.0%) had craniofacial abnormalities, and the remainder had documented Eustachian tube dysfunction with mucoid effusion present at the time of surgery. The average patient age was 8 years, and the average follow-up was 39 months. The average pre- and postoperative PTA-ABGs were 25.1 ± 11.2 dB (standard deviation, SD) and 15.1 ± 10.2 dB (p < 0.05), respectively, and the average pre- and postoperative PTAs were 36.6 ± 12.4 and 24.9 ± 12.0 dB (p < 0.05), respectively. Only one case had to undergo revision, which was a result of a cholesteatoma. Of the 20 patients, 15 still had patent tubes at last follow-up, three had their tubes removed, and two had tube extrusion., Conclusions: Cartilage tympanoplasty with intubation achieves good anatomical and audiologic results when Eustachian tube dysfunction or craniofacial abnormalities are present. Significant hearing improvement was realized in a patient population that is characteristically more prone to problems.

Hypothesis: The objective was to test the hypothesis that immunotargeted photodynamic therapy (IT-PDT) using anti-epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR)-coated indocyanine green (ICG) nanocapsules would selectively kill cholesteatoma-derived keratinocytes while sparing middle ear-derived mucosa cells in vitro., Background: Rates of residual cholesteatoma caused by incomplete microsurgical removal are unacceptably high; thus, development of an adjuvant therapy to safely destroy undetected residual cholesteatoma cells would be desirable. IT-PDT is a possible means to achieve this end., Methods: ICG nanocapsules coated with anti-EGFR were synthesized and applied to cholesteatoma-derived keratinocytes and middle ear mucosa cells in vitro. Selective binding to keratinocytes was evaluated by fluorescence microscopy. Activation of ICG was undertaken by applying near-infrared light (810 nm) at an applied energy dose of 1,080 J/cm. Cell death was evaluated 2 hours after treatment with trypan blue staining., Results: Selective and robust nanocapsule binding to keratinocytes, but not mucosa cells, was confirmed by preapplication and postapplication fluorescence measurements. A keratinocyte cell death rate of 70.12% ± 2.50% was achieved, whereas negligible mucosa cell death was observed. Negligible cell death was also observed for both cell types with application of the nanocapsules alone or with application of near-infrared light alone., Conclusion: Anti-EGFR ICG nanocapsules applied topically and activated as part of an IT-PDT scheme results in a high rate of cholesteatoma-derived keratinocyte cell death while negligibly affecting middle ear mucosal cells in vitro. These preliminary findings suggest that this is a feasible concept and that further investigation is warranted.

Objective: To determine outcomes of type 1 cartilage tympanoplasty in a cohort of pediatric patients with a history of cleft palate repair., Patients and Outcome Measures: Retrospective chart review and comparison with a historical control group of patients with no cleft palate anomaly undergoing the same procedure by the same surgeon at a tertiary care pediatric hospital. A total of 37 patients between ages 4 and 19 years inclusive (45 ears), with a history of repaired cleft palate, underwent type 1 cartilage tympanoplasty with or without primary tube insertion from September 2004 to October 2012. Demographics, type of cleft palate, surgical indication, middle ear status, complications, history of myringotomy tube insertion, and auditory outcomes were collected. Results were compared with those for a non-cleft palate cohort that had undergone the same procedure, which had been previously published., Results: The unadjusted average preoperative and postoperative pure-tone averages for patients with a history of cleft palate were 22.06 and 7.29, respectively, compared with 18.34 and 8.32, respectively, for non-cleft patients. Despite significantly worse preoperative hearing levels among the cleft palate group, there was no statistically significant difference in outcomes with regard to hearing results between the two groups. One patient in the cleft palate group required revision type 1 cartilage tympanoplasty for graft failure, which is comparable to that reported for non-cleft palate patients. Post-tympanoplasty secondary tympanostomy intubation was slightly higher for the cleft palate population., Conclusion: Type 1 cartilage tympanoplasty, when performed in a pediatric population with a history of cleft palate, can achieve closure and hearing results that are comparable of those in patients with no such anomaly.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term adverse cochlear implant (CI) outcomes resulting in revision surgery including CI reimplantation (CIR)., Patients: Pediatric and adult patients requiring revision procedures after CI placement., Intervention(s): Revision surgery on cochlear implant patients., Main Outcome Measures: Device type, length of total device follow-up, time to device failure, cause for failure, peak pre-CIR and post-CIR audiometric performance, rate of surgical site complications, and operative findings., Results: A total of 317 patients, receiving 439 CIs between January 2000 and April 2012, met inclusion criteria for this series. For the patients implanted at our institution, the revision surgery rate was 4.1%, with a CIR rate of 3.0%. The CIR rates among the pediatric and adult populations were 5.0% and 1.3%, respectively (p = 0.0336). The rate of revision procedures because of failed fixation or device extrusion was 0.9%. Device failure was experienced in 8 patients in our series, with 75% occurring with the CI24R (CS) device., Conclusion: All reimplanted patients with available data had good audiometric outcomes, with the exception of those reimplanted for soft failure who had poor immediate auditory function. Using the manufacturers' recommended surgical technique, including drilling a bony recess with suture fixation, very low surgical revision rates were achieved. Pediatric patients experienced significantly higher complications requiring CIR. All hard failures in this series occurred in the pediatric group and in a single device. Continued follow-up will be needed to determine if additional devices will succumb to this mode of failure.

Purpose of Review: This review focuses on the most recent literature pertaining to pediatric acquired cholesteatoma and aims to integrate findings into a comprehensive management approach., Recent Findings: Pediatric acquired cholesteatoma has been shown to differ from the adult variety secondary to anatomy and physiologic factors. Whereas the goals of therapeutic management are ultimately similar in adult and pediatric patients, special considerations must be taken into account when deciding on a treatment plan for a child. Although avoidance of an unstable mastoid cavity is an important consideration in this population, successful management has been reported with canal wall-up, canal wall-down, and hybrid techniques. Second-look procedures are also important when concern of recurrence exists. Newer innovations include endoscopic ear surgery and diffusion-weighted imaging., Summary: The principal goal of pediatric cholesteatoma management is eradication of disease. An individualized approach is paramount in yielding superior results in these patients. Special consideration should be given to anatomical and social factors.

Objective: To explore the etiology of pediatric unilateral severe-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss (USPSNHL) and the risk of hearing loss in the contralateral ear., Methods: Pediatric patients with USPSNHL referred to a tertiary children's hospital for unilateral bone-anchored hearing aid implantation were identified for study. Clinical charts, audiograms, and radiographic imaging of the temporal bones were reviewed., Results: Eighty-four children with USPSNHL were reviewed (40 male, 44 female). The etiology of USPSNHL could be identified in 35 patients (41.7%), with perinatal events (16.2%) and family history of hearing loss (10.0%) being the most common identifiable risk factors. Forty percent of children with available newborn hearing screens passed in both ears but later developed USPSNHL. Progressive unilateral hearing loss leading to USPSNHL was found in 21% percent of patients. No patient experienced worsening hearing in the contralateral ear (mean follow-up=31.9 months). Of the 49 temporal bone scans available for review, 40.8% demonstrated aberrant inner ear anatomy, including semicircular canal dysplasia (10.2%), cochlear aperture stenosis (10.2%), hypoplastic cochlea (8.1%), enlarged vestibular aqueduct (14.3%), incomplete partition I/II (6.1%), and anomalous internal auditory canal (2.0%)., Conclusion: Pediatric USPSNHL can be attributed to a variety of sources with a cause identifiable in approximately 40% of patients. Temporal bone CT scan acquisition appears to be relatively high yield in this patient population, but only rarely do results have clinical implications. Early follow-up suggests that this population of children with USPSNHL does not appear to have a significantly increased risk for hearing loss in the contralateral ear., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To review the tolerance of hearing aid use after revision and obliteration of a previously unstable canal wall down mastoidectomy cavity., Study Design: Retrospective case series., Setting: Academic tertiary referral center., Patients: Adults and children who underwent the described surgical procedure followed by attempted hearing aid use., Intervention(s): Surgical revision and obliteration of a chronically unstable canal wall down mastoidectomy cavity and subsequent attempted use of a conventional, ear-level hearing aid., Main Outcome Measure(s): Stability of mastoid cavity after starting conventional hearing aid usage., Results: From a review of 87 consecutive mastoid obliteration procedures performed on previously unstable open cavities, 20 ears in 19 subjects were identified for study inclusion. The indication for hearing aid use was mixed hearing loss in the majority of subjects (85%). Among included ears, 7 (35%) had at least one documented temporary period of hearing aid nonuse because of otorrhea; however, permanent discontinuation of hearing aid use in favor of bone-anchored hearing implant placement only occurred in 3 ears (15%). The mean follow-up from the start of hearing aid use was 49 months., Conclusion: Although failures do exist, attempted use of a hearing aid after revision of an unstable canal wall down mastoidectomy cavity seems feasible and generally well tolerated. However, the exact likelihood of achieving this result is yet uncertain, and hearing performance was not assessed in this study.

Objective: To justify the successful use of a patient selection algorithm based on age for primary cartilage tympanoplasty., Study Design: Case series with chart review., Setting: Tertiary care pediatric hospital., Subjects and Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients between ages 4 and 13 years who underwent cartilage tympanoplasty for tympanic membrane perforations from August 2005 to November 2011. Demographics, complication data, and auditory outcomes were collected., Results: Patients were subdivided into 3 age groups. Group 1 consisted of patients younger than 7 years (n = 43); group 2, ages 7 to 10 years (n = 40); and group 3, ages 10 to 13 years (n = 36). Mean follow-up was 595 days (range, 48-1742). Complication rates respective to the 3 groups were as follows: remnant perforation (6.97%, 5.00%, 2.78%), revision tympanoplasty (2.33%, 2.50%, 0%), and need for tympanostomy tubes (4.65%, 2.50%, 0%). Logistic regression models were used to evaluate complication rates between groups. No significant differences were found (remnant perforation, P = .710; repeat tympanoplasty, P = .998; tympanostomy tubes, P = .875). No significance was found among audiological outcomes between the 3 groups., Conclusion: These data suggest cartilage tympanoplasty can be performed effectively in young children when appropriate conditions exist.