PMID- 27541000 OWN - NLM STAT- MEDLINE DCOM- 20170717 LR - 20220321 IS - 2168-619X (Electronic) IS - 2168-6181 (Linking) VI - 142 IP - 11 DP - 2016 Nov 1 TI - Long-term Results of the Cartilage Shoe Technique to Anchor a Titanium Total Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis on the Stapes Footplate After Type III Tympanoplasty. PG - 1094-1099 LID - 10.1001/jamaoto.2016.2118 [doi] AB - IMPORTANCE: Multiple techniques for a more secure and stable anchoring of the foot of a total ossicular replacement prosthesis (TORP) on the footplate have been proposed. To address this issue, a technique was developed that fits a cartilage shoe into the oval niche to guide the base of the prosthesis into a preformed central perforation. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term results of the cartilage shoe technique used to anchor a titanium TORP on the stapes footplate in patients after type III tympanoplasty. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Medical record review of total ossiculoplasties at a single center. The study included all patients who had undergone a tympanoplasty using a TORP between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2008, at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Hearing thresholds were determined by a 4-frequency (500-4000 Hz) pure-tone average air-bone gap (PTA-ABG). Intraoperative findings from revision surgery and second-look operations are reported. RESULTS: Forty-two ears were eligible for follow-up examination, averaging 6.8 years (range, 4.8-9.1 years) after surgery, that comprised otoscopy and audiometry. The mean age of 22 women and 20 men was 42.8 years (age range, 6-78 years). The overall PTA-ABG decreased from a mean (SD) of 33.0 (8.4) decibels (dB) before surgery to a mean (SD) of 22.0 (10.1) dB after surgery (P