BackgroundInmanyEuropeanandAmericanhospitals,representedbytheHouseEarClinic(HEC),theoverlaytympanoplastyisusedwithrareexception,withsimultaneouscanalwallupordownmastoidectomybeingtakenifneeded.InChina,underlaytympanoplastyisusedacrossthecountry,buttheoverlaytech-niqueisusedrarely.Theaimofthecurrentstudywastoreporttheauthors’experiencewithoverlaytympa-noplastyin83Chinesepatientsandstudyitsvalue.MethodsEight-threepatients(86ears)underwentover-laytympanoplastyinaccordancetothestandardoftheHEC.Thepatientswerefollowedupandconditionsoftheexternalauditorycanal,tympanicmembraneandhearingwerereviewedandanalyzed.ResultsAllpatientsgainedstageIincisionhealing.Thesizeofexternalauditorycanalandtympanicmembranemor-phologyweresatisfactory.Hearingeitherremainedunchangedorimproved.Therewerenohearingdeterio-rationorseriouscomplications.ConclusionsOverlaytympanoplastycarriespositivevalueintreatingchron-icotitismediaandcholesteatomawiththemeritsofprocedurestandardization,adequateoperativeexposure,thoroughdiseaseeliminationandextensiveadaptation.
