Surgical treatment of tympanosclerosis.

During the 5-year period (1971--1976), 45 patients at the Shea Clinic underwent reconstructive surgery for tympanosclerosis. The most common ossicular chain problem was found to be malleus and incus fixation (33%); malleus, incus, and stapes fixation (22%); and stapes fixation (13%). The most successful reconstrucitve approaches included removal of tympanosclerosis from tympanic membrane or isolated plaque from ossicular chain, the use of the Partial Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis (PORP), and the Total Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis (TORP).