Long-term outcomes of cartilage-buttressed T-tube tympanoplasty for prolonged middle ear ventilation.

Objectives/hypothesis: To report on the safety and efficacy of cartilage-buttressed T-tube tympanoplasty for long-term middle ear ventilation, specifically by examining duration of tube survival, as well as adverse events associated with prolonged middle ear intubation, including persistent tympanic membrane perforation.
Study Design: Retrospective case series of patients undergoing cartilage-buttressed T-tube tympanoplasty between January 2005 and December 2016 in a tertiary-care neurotology private practice.
Methods: Patients who underwent cartilage T-tube tympanoplasty with complete pre- and postoperative audiometric data and a minimum follow-up duration of 12 months were analyzed. T-tube survival and adverse events including persistent tympanic membrane perforation were recorded and compared to published data for other long-term middle ear ventilation techniques.
Results: The study cohort included 72 cartilage-buttressed T-tube tympanoplasties in 68 patients. Median tube survival was 34 months (range, 2-131 months). Incidence of persistent tympanic membrane perforation (n = 1) was 1.4% CONCLUSIONS: Cartilage-buttressed T-tube tympanoplasty is a safe and effective means of accomplishing long-term middle ear ventilation with a considerably lower rate of persistent tympanic membrane perforation as compared to alternative methods of prolonged middle ear ventilation.
Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 129:203-208, 2019.
(© 2018 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.)