Skull Base 2006; 16 - A045
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-958579

Erosion of Ossicles in Chronic Otitis Media

Olga Papadopoulou 1(presenter), Thomas Nikolopoulos 1, Dimitrios Felekis 1, George Papacharalampous 1, Michael Tzagaroulakis 1, Eleftherios Ferekidis 1
  • 1Athens, Greece

Background: Chronic otitis media may affect ossicular chain continuity with serious consequences in hearing. Ossicles are often eroded in chronic otitis media, sometimes without cholesteatoma.

Aim: This paper will assess ossicular erosion in operated ears for chronic otitis media.

Material and Methods: We reviewed 55 cases—23 females (41.8%) and 32 males (58.2%)—operated in our department with modified radical mastoidectomy and type III tympanoplasty in 24 cases (43.6%), modified radical mastoidectomy and type IV in 14 cases (25.4%), radical mastoidectomy in 2 cases (3.6%), tympanoplasty type III in 9 cases (16.3%), and tympanoplasty type IV in 6 cases (10.9%).

Results: The ossicles were eroded according to the following Table:

Maleus Incus Stapes
Partial erosion 39 (70.9%) 38 (69%) 9 (16.3%)
Full erosion 10 (18.1%) 12 (21.8%) 15 (27.2%)
No erosion 3 (5.4%) 0 30 (54.5%)
Removal in surgery 3 (5.4%) 5 (9%) 1 (1.8%)

Conclusion: As expected, incus was found eroded in most cases. However, maleus was also found eroded (partially or fully) in a similar percentage, whereas stapes was found intact in the majority of cases. This has a serious impact in surgery planning and hearing conservation surgery.