FP02-4. A PROPOSED RESULT REPORTING SYSTEM AFTER CHRONIC EAR SURGERY IN KOREA

Hyung-Jong Kim (Hallym University / Korean Otological Society, Seoul, Korea)

Objectives: There have been several attempts to develop result reporting guidelines after chronic ear surgery, however, no such guidelines are universally accepted, primarily because of the lack of standard classification for the surgical procedures and the multiplicity of terminology to describe similar techniques. Overcoming these apparent communicating problems among otologic surgeons, this study was performed to develop a guideline for universally acceptable "Result reporting system after chronic ear surgery" in Korea.

Methods: For the project sponsored by the Korean otological society, total of nine experienced otologic surgeons from seven nation-wide university hospitals in Korea were participated to the work in order to develop a computerized database program for chronic ear surgery from 2002 to 2004. As consensus opinions through the meticulous research work from world wide literatures as well as the survey on the status of otologic surgery records in Korea, following recommended guidelines were proposed.

Results: Standardized classification for the surgery consisted of four procedure-groups, such as types of mastoidectomy, tympanoplasty, contemporary procedures, and extraneous procedures, respectively. Any procedures can be expressed (revision) mastoidectomy ± tympanoplasty ± contemporary procedures, or (revision) extraneous procedures ± tympanoplasty ± contemporary procedures. Result reporting systems after the surgery consisted of three categories. Firstly, essential requisites for the result reporting include calculation formulas of pure tone averages and air bone gap (ABG), and minimal follow-up duration. Secondly, criteria for the successful result of hearing are two folds, one for the percentage of post-operative successful hearing among the patient operated, and the other for the expression by grading of ABG closures. Lastly, the comparison of average hearing improvement in a group of patients using hearing level or ABG should be described with the number of patients and statistical analysis used. 

Conclusion: These classification and reporting system will provide a set of standard that would facilitate the comparison of results among studies and also promote the use of scientific principles and clinical data in chronic ear surgery.

* Contact person email: hjk1000@hallym.ac.kr