Aim To find out the mean air conduction thresholds (ACT) and air–bone gap (ABG) closure across the treatment groups at the end of 3 and 6 months of follow-up. Material and methods Sixty patients diagnosed with COM with conductive hearing loss were included in the study. Air conduction threshold (ACT) and air–bone gap were calculated and recorded pre-operatively. Surgery was done with clearance of disease followed by reconstruction of hearing in single-stage operation using autologous conchal cartilage, refashioned incus, and polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) prosthesis (PORP, TORP) depending upon the intraoperative findings during surgery. Patients were followed for up to 6 months for assessing the hearing outcome in terms of the mean air conduction threshold and mean air–bone gap closure for each group separately. Results The outcome of each ossiculoplasty material was calculated in terms of mean air conduction threshold and mean AB gap closure. Preoperative and postoperative air conduction threshold (ACT) at 3 months and 6 months follow-up of each group was as follows: for the autologous conchal cartilage group, 41.3 (± SD 6.69), 29.2 (± SD 5.39), and 21 (± SD 4.66); for autologous refashioned incus group, 40.4 (± SD 5.43), 28.4 (± SD 6.73), and 20.8 (± SD 4.33); for the Teflon PORP group, 42.9 (± SD 5.68), 31.4 (± SD 6.86), and 34.9 (± SD 6.37); and for the Teflon TORP group, 43.1 (± SD 5.40), 32.5 (± SD 5.91), and 36.2 (± SD 5.31). The mean air–bone gap preoperatively and postoperatively at 3 months and 6 months respectively were as follows: for autologous conchal cartilage, 40.6 (± SD 4.57), 23.7 (± SD 4.48), and 20 (± SD 5.28); for autologous refashioned incus, 39.3(± SD 4.92), 21.9 (± SD 5.61), and 19.4 (± SD 5.82); for Teflon PORP 43.0 (± SD 4.48), 32.8 (± SD 4.84), and 36.3 (± SD 5.56); and for Teflon TORP, 44.5 (± SD 5.56), 33.2 (± SD 5.53), and 35.2 (± SD 5.10). Conclusion The hearing outcome of ossiculoplasty varies with the type of ossiculoplasty material used. Most favorable results were obtained with refashioned autologous incus followed by autologous conchal cartilage. Teflon prosthesis has a significant improvement in hearing outcomes although the results are less favorable.

Background: Objective. There is growing evidence that bacterial biofilms may play a role in certain cases of recalcitrant CRS that do not respond to traditional medical and surgical therapies. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of biofilm-forming bacteria in clinical isolates of CRS patients with or without nasal polyposis. Methods: A Prospective observational study conducted in the Department of ENT & HNS GMC Srinagar and Department of Microbiology, from September 2018 to August 2020. 60 patients were enrolled in this study who reported to ENT & HNS OPD of Govt. Medical College Srinagar and diagnosed with CRS according to “clinical practice guidelines” 2015 criteria, and were willing to participate in the study. Samples were harvested in the OPD and/or intraoperatively for microscopic examination to determine biofilm presence. Statistical analysis was performed. For all statistical tests, P = .05 was considered significant. Results: In this study on 60 patients Biofilms were present in 32 (53.3%) patients whereas in 28 (46.7%) patients Biofilms were absent (includes 14 culture positive and 14 culture negative patients). Biofilm formation was detected by three different phenotypic methods. Biofilm detection rate were highest by Tissue Culture Plate (TCP) method (56.3%) followed by Tube method (TM) as (46.9%) and Congo Red Agar (CRA) method as (43.8%). Conclusion: This study further elucidates the prevalence of bacterial Biofilms in sinonasal mucosa of CRS patients as Biofilms existed in 53% of the patients under study.