Alloplastic bone cements in otologic surgery: Long-term follow-up and lessons learned

Abstract

Objective Otolaryngologists are often confronted with structural defects in the tegmen, scutum, or external auditory canal . Carbonated calcium phosphate (CCP) bone cements offer an alternative way of managing these defects. Study Design and Setting Retrospective review in an academic otology practice. The technical feasibility of these techniques described as well as the wound healing and structural integrity results. Results CCP bone cement was used to reconstruct defects of the tegmen or EAC in 22 patients. The material was used to repair the EAC in 19 of these patients, including complete EAC reconstruction in 4 patients, and tegmen defects only in 3 cases. Conclusion The surgical technique is not technically difficult and the alloplastic material is hard within minutes of application. Twenty patients have been followed for over 1 year with an average follow-up period of 3.8 years. Failure, defined as infection or explantation, occurred in 4 patients followed over 3 years. There was a difference in outcomes for pediatric cases. EBM rating: C-4