II: Graft mass and hearing change at different frequencies
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 June 2007
The masses of preserved ossicles and cortical bone grafts have been studied in vitro using a Stanton Unimatic CL41 balance. The cortical bone grafts prepared for use in malleus-stapes assemblies had a mean mass 28 per cent greater than that for an incus, while those prepared for use in a malleus-footplate or drum-footplate assembly had a mean mass 58 per cent greater. Analysis of the hearing results for the first 20 ossiculoplasty operations performed by the author using cortical bone grafts revealed no significant differences in outcome attributable to increased mass. However, large grafts did become fixed to surrounding structures in some cases.