Does Eustachian tube function affect the outcome of tympanoplasty?

Background: Eustachian tube function has been regarded as a significant factor in the successful outcome of tympanoplasty. Eustachian tube dysfunction has been attributed to many diseases of middle ear cleft ranging from otitis media with effusion to unsafe chronic otitis media. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of Eustachian tube function on outcome of tympanoplasty in safe chronic suppurative otitis media patients and detect the correlation between the type of the used graft and the outcome of tympanoplasty. This study included 60 randomly selected patients diagnosed with safe chronic suppurative otitis media. Eustachian tube function was tested with tympanometry and Toynbee's test. All patients underwent tympanoplasty type I. Results: Successful statistically significant outcome was observed in 83.3 % of patients with normal eustachian tube function, while in 60 % of patients with eustachian tube dysfunction (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Eustachian tube function significantly affects the outcome of tympanoplasty surgery. No significant correlation was noted between the type of the used graft and the outcome of tympanoplasty.