Audiologic Outcomes of Bone Cement and Incus Interposition in Austin-Kartush Type A Ossicular Defects

Güder O., Önder K., Olgun Y., Güneri E. A.

iFOS 2026 – XXIII World Congress of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, İstanbul, Türkiye, 9 - 13 Eylül 2026, ss.0-1, (Özet Bildiri)

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Özet Bildiri
  • Basıldığı Şehir: İstanbul
  • Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.0-1
  • Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Background & Aim
Long process erosion of the incus is one of the most common ossicular chain pathologies in chronic otitis media and temporal bone trauma. Bone cement reconstruction and incus interposition are two commonly used techniques for repairing this defect. This study aimed to compare the postoperative audiologic outcomes of glass ionomer bone cement and incus interposition in patients with Austin-Kartush Type A ossicular chain pathology.

Material & Methods
Patients who underwent ossicular chain reconstruction with either glass ionomer bone cement or incus interposition for Austin-Kartush Type A pathology at Dokuz Eylul University Department of Otorhinolaryngology between January 2015 and September 2024 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with at least 6 months of audiologic follow-up were included. Demographic characteristics, preoperative and postoperative audiologic findings, and Middle Ear Risk Index (MERI) scores were analyzed. Preoperative and postoperative air-bone gap values and postoperative gain were compared between groups.

Results
A total of 42 patients were included: 27 underwent bone cement reconstruction and 15 underwent incus interposition. Mean age was significantly higher in the bone cement group than in the incus interposition group (45.2±13.8 vs 33.4±16.0 years, p=0.023). Preoperative air-bone gap values were similar between groups (33.0±8.9 vs 32.0±12.2 dB, p=0.654). Both groups showed significant postoperative improvement (p<0.001 for both). Postoperative air-bone gap values (15.6±9.5 vs 13.5±9.1 dB, p=0.674), postoperative gain (17.0±10.0 vs 18.5±8.7 dB, p=0.537), and MERI scores (p=0.873) were not significantly different. No significant correlation was found between MERI score and postoperative gain (p=0.903).

Conclusions
Both bone cement and incus interposition are effective techniques for reconstruction of Austin-Kartush Type A ossicular defects and provide significant postoperative audiologic improvement. However, no significant difference was found between the two methods in terms of postoperative air-bone gap or hearing gain. Larger studies are needed to better define prognostic factors and optimal technique selection.

Keywords
ossiculoplasty, bone cement, incus interposition, chronic otitis media, air-bone gap