Determination of Factors That Impact Patient Satisfaction Following Tympanoplasty

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the subjective evaluation of patients postoperatively about their hearing, otorrhea, and tinnitus by using a questionnaire and to determine factors affecting patient satisfaction following tympanoplasty. MATERIALS and METHODS: Patients who underwent tympanoplasty with or without mastoidectomy due to chronic otitis media were included the study. Patients were called by telephone and invited to a control examination and to answer a questionnaire survey. Patients who came to the control examination were asked about any changes in their hearing and the presence or absence of tinnitus and otorrhea. The overall subjective satisfaction of the surgery was measured by visual analog scale (VAS). RESULTS: One hundred forty-seven patients who underwent tympanoplasty with or without mastoidectomy with a mean age 33.32±11.27 were included the study. There were statistically significant differences between the patients whose grafts were successfully healed versus those not healed, according to VAS score (p<0.001). VAS score was significantly higher in patients whose tinnitus decreased or disappeared (p=0.001) and in patients whose otorrhea completely disappeared (p=0.008). CONCLUSION: Postoperative patient satisfaction must be taken into consideration for the evaluation of the success of tympanoplasty surgery, in addition to objective criteria. Healing of the tympanic membrane, relief of tinnitus, hearing improvement, and relief from otorrhea were highly correlated with patient satisfaction.