Insertion of middle-ear Silastic sheeting during tympanoplasty: hearing outcomes

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Silastic® sheeting placed in the middle ear during tympanoplasty, including the effect on hearing. DESIGN: Retrospective study. BACKGROUND: Chronic inflammation of the middle ear is common. Surgical treatment sometimes results in middle-ear adhesions and hearing deterioration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected 106 patients with chronic otitis media, middle-ear adhesions and intact ossicles, based on intra-operative findings. These patients underwent single-stage tympanoplasty either with or without insertion of Silastic sheeting. Audiometry was undertaken pre-operatively and one and 12 months post-operatively. RESULTS: Patients who had undergone Silastic sheet insertion showed significantly better air conduction, bone conduction and air-bone gap averages one year post-operatively, compared with those who had not.