Factors influencing audiologic outcomes in ossiculoplasty for chronic otitis media: a prospective multicentre study

Objective. Chronic otitis media (COM) is a prevalent condition affecting auditory function. Ossiculoplasty is a known treatment strategy, but its effectiveness concerning the presence of cholesteatoma has not been extensively studied. Methods. We conducted a multicentre study involving 153 patients diagnosed with COM without cholesteatoma (ncCOM) and with cholesteatoma (cCOM). Patients underwent ossiculoplasty, and postoperative hearing outcomes were analysed. Results. After patient selection, 133 participants were included. Postoperatively, significant improvements in hearing function were observed in both groups, substantiating the role of ossiculoplasty in treatment of COM. However, different outcomes were noted between ncCOM and cCOM. Patients with cCOM demonstrated a slightly lesser degree of hearing improvement post-surgery compared to their ncCOM counterparts. Conclusions. Our findings confirm ossiculoplasty as a standard and effective treatment strategy for COM. The presence of cholesteatoma may influence the effectiveness of surgery, underscoring the need for individualised surgical planning. Future research should focus on confirming these results and more comprehensively exploring the impact of cholesteatoma on surgical outcomes.