Long-term results of atresiaplasty in patients with congenital aural atresia

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate long-term benefits of atresiaplasty on hearing and the impact of surgery on quality of life (QoL) in congenital aural atresia (CAA) patients.

Methods: We evaluated the long-term hearing results, the impact of atresiaplasty on QoL, the meatal diameter of the operated ear canal, and the cumulative number of post-operative hospital visits in 14 CAA patients, on average, 12 years (range: 4–17 years) post-operatively.

Results: The mean preoperative pure tone average (PTA) was 61 dB HL. The postoperative short-term PTA was 36 dB HL and the long-term PTA was 51 dB HL. The mean total Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) score was 16 (range: −11–39), showing the positive benefit of atresiaplasty on QoL. The mean postoperative diameter of the auditory meatus was 6 mm. The average number of hospital outpatient visits during the first postoperative year was 10.

Conclusion: Surgery for CAA is a demanding operation with variable anatomical and hearing outcomes. Atresiaplasty operations should be centralized to hospitals with large numbers of such patients to ensure sufficient levels of surgical experience. Bone-anchored hearing devices or middle-ear implants should be considered as a first-line option because they offer good hearing predictability.

Chinese abstract

目的：评估先天性听力闭锁（CAA）患者的闭锁成形术的长期性益处及其对生活质量（QoL）的影响。

方法：我们在手术后对14例CAA患者的长期听力结果、闭锁成形术对生活质量的影响、受手术耳道的听神经直径和累计手术后医院门诊次数进行了评估；患者的平均手术后年限为12年（范围： 4至17年）。

结果：术前平均纯音均值（PTA）为61 dB HL。 术后短期PTA为36 dB HL, 长期PTA为51 dB HL。平均总格拉斯哥效益量表（GBI）评分为16（范围：-11至39）, 显示了闭锁成形术对生活质量的积极效益。平均术后听神经直径为6毫米。术后第一年的平均医院门诊次数为10次。

结论：手术治疗CAA是一项要求很高的手术, 具有可变的解剖学结果和听力结果。闭锁成形术应该集中到有大量此类患者的医院, 以确保手术经验达到足够水平。骨锚式听力装置或中耳植入物应被视为一线选择, 因为它们具有良好的听力可预测性。

KEYWORDS:

• Atresiaplasty
• ear canal
• aural atresia
• long-term hearing results

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.