Substitution of the Stapedial Arch by Free Cartilage Grafts

ONE OF THE most important questions in otosclerotic surgery is the problem of which material should be used for the reconstruction of the ossicular chain after stapedectomy. Reviewing the current literature of the past ten years, we get the impression that there is a continuous process of changing techniques; but we are not yet convinced that this evolution progresses definitely towards the ideal technique. The great variety of surgical procedures also includes an adequate variety of the grafting material which may be divided into two categories, eitherhomoplasticorheteroplastictransplants. Heteroplastic Prostheses.—Polyethylene, Teflon, stainless steel, and tantalum wire have been used in stapes surgery for several years already and are therefore fairly well known. "Unfortunately, the good results obtained by the use of these materials demand their continued use even before complete basic and long-term clinical research can be accomplished" as has been stated by Hough.1Up