Role of preoperative air-bone gap in tinnitus outcome after tympanoplasty for chronic otitis media with tinnitus

• Published in: Brazilian journal of otorhinolaryngology 2018-03, Vol.84 (2), p.173-177
• Main Authors: Kim, Hong Chan, Jang, Chul Ho, Kim, Young Yoon, Seong, Jong Yuap, Kang, Sung Hoon, Cho, Yong Beom
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Audiometry, Pure-Tone; Child; Chronic Disease; Female; Gap aéreo-ósseo pré-operatório; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Otitis Media - surgery; OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY; Preoperative air-bone gap; Preoperative Period; Retrospective Studies; Timpanoplastia tipo I; Tinnitus; Tinnitus - etiology; Tinnitus - rehabilitation; Treatment Outcome; Tympanoplasty; Tympanoplasty type I; Young Adult; Zumbido
• ISSN: 1808-8694; 1808-8686; 1808-8686
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2017.01.003

Previous reports indicated that middle ear surgery might partially improve tinnitus after surgery. However, until now, no influencing factor has been determined for tinnitus outcome after middle ear surgery. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between preoperative air-bone gap and tinnitus outcome after tympanoplasty type I. Seventy-five patients with tinnitus who had more than 6 months of symptoms of chronic otitis media on the ipsilateral side that were refractory to medical treatment were included in this study. All patients were evaluated through otoendoscopy, pure tone/speech audiometer, questionnaire survey using the visual analog scale and the tinnitus handicap inventory for tinnitus symptoms before and 6 months after tympanoplasty. The influence of preoperative bone conduction, preoperative air-bone-gap, and postoperative air-bone-gap on tinnitus outcome after the operation was investigated. The patients were divided into two groups based on preoperative bone conduction of less than 25dB (n=50) or more than 25dB (n=25). The postoperative improvement of tinnitus in both groups showed statistical significance. Patients whose preoperative air-bone-gap was less than 15dB showed no improvement in postoperative tinnitus using the visual analog scale (p=0.889) and the tinnitus handicap inventory (p=0.802). However, patients whose preoperative air-bone-gap was more than 15dB showed statistically significant improvement in postoperative tinnitus using the visual analog scale (p