The history of otology is the history of the successful treatment of infections of the middle ear and the eardrum. Otologists have sought to restore hearing lost to infections of the eardrum since the 1600s. The development of instruments, techniques, and materials to treat infection is fascinating because of the serendipitous nature of the discoveries and the insight of the discoverers. This historical review describes the history of the treatment of infections of the ear and the development of modern techniques of ear surgery. Two contemporary methods of tympanic membrane repair are then described.

This report compares two contemporary techniques of tympanic membrane repair. The prospective comparison study included 712 cases over 9 years. Whether the tympanic membrane was repaired by an underlay or an overlay technique, results were reliable. By making a postauricular incision, greater visibility of the operative site can be obtained. Larger perforations can be closed more reliably when greater exposure is obtained. The placement of the graft above or below the annulus is not the issue. Careful technique and precise work are the keys to successful tympanoplasty. Thus otologic surgeons should cultivate effective techniques, attempting to continuously improve their results to achieve perfection.

Studies have indicated that stapedectomy can be an effective procedure in children for correcting conductive hearing losses due to juvenile otosclerosis. However, because childhood otosclerosis is rare and children commonly choose to use hearing aids in lieu of undergoing surgery, little outcome data are available. The purpose of this retrospective study was to provide additional outcome data in both the short and the long term. Stapedectomies were performed on 47 children. Preoperative hearing results were compared with 6-month postoperative hearing results. Hearing results for the children who had long-term follow-up (5 years or more) were compared with the 6-month postoperative results. Stapedectomy was successful (postoperative air conduction pure-tone average [PTA] within 10 dB of the preoperative bone conduction PTA) in 91.7% of the cases. The mean overclosure of the preoperative bone conduction PTA by the postoperative air conduction PTA was 0.2 dB. The mean PTA hearing improvement was 32.8 dB. Results from the 21 children (28 ears) who had long-term follow-up indicated an average 0.7 dB/year PTA worsening from the 6-month postoperative PTA. Results from this study provide additional evidence that stapedectomy can be an effective procedure for correcting conductive hearing losses due to juvenile otosclerosis.

We have recently begun using the titanium TOP, which has resulted in improved postoperative hearing when compared with the porous polyethylene TOP. In the future, longer follow-up and increased patient numbers will strengthen our conclusions.

The use of porous polyethylene total and partial ossicular replacement prostheses (TOPs and POPs) for ossicular reconstruction in middle ear surgery was retrospectively reviewed at the Warren Otologic Group, a tertiary referral center for otologic problems. Extrusion rates, lower than those previously reported, and improvement in hearing results were found in 250 cases. Follow-up ranged from 6 months to 8 years. This paper details the optimal placement and relationships of the prosthesis, the interposed tragal cartilage, and the drum. Modifications to the prosthesis have increased stability and ease of reconstruction. The hearing results of both TOP and POP reconstruction, and comparison with the literature, will be presented. With TOPs, the air-bone gap was closed to within 20 dB in 67% of cases. With POPs, similar results were obtained in 81% of cases.