A Prospective Study to Evaluate Role of Middle Ear Risk Index in Tympanoplasty with Mastoidectomy as a Prognostic Parameter

Abstract

Introduction Chronic otitis media (COM) is an otological challenge in the developing countries as it is a persistent disease causing severe destruction of middle ear with irreversible sequalae. To assess Middle Ear Risk Index (MERI) score and study its prognostic effect in postoperative outcome following mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty. To evaluate MERI score with respect to graft uptake and A-B gap closure. Materials and Methods This prospective study comprised 25 patients suffering from COM who presented to the Department of ENT, HSK Hospital, Bagalkot, over a period of 1 year from November 2020 to November 2021. The patients underwent tympanoplasty with mastoidectomy. MERI 2001 was used in the current study, and risk factors were assessed based on pre- and intra-operative findings to obtain the MERI score. Patients were segregated into those with mild (1–3), moderate (4–7), and severe (8–15) MERI. They were evaluated at 1 month follow-up visit. Results and Conclusion The study reveals the degree to which MERI score can predict the extent of disease and indicate outcome of surgery. In the present study, patients with lower MERI score benefitted more favorably in terms of graft uptake and hearing improvement as compared with success rate of severe MERI score. MERI index is in fact a very reliable predictor of graft uptake and audiological alteration in patients undergoing tympanoplasty with mastoidectomy surgeries for COM.