Abstract: Objective To compare the effects of Nasopore and iodoform gauze as packing material in chronic otitis media surgery. Methods 60 patients with unilateral chronic otitis media and cholesteatoma underwent modified radical mastoidectomy and ear cavity angioplasty were divided into experimental group (33 cases) and control group (27 cases). Nasopore was applied in the former group but iodoform gauze in the latter group. There was no significant difference between both groups with regard to the general clinical data(P>0.05). Incidence of complications, otalgia in 24 hours, sleep time within 48 hours and bleeding rate after removing packing material 2 weeks after surgery were compared. Results The incidence of complications was 9.1% in experimental group and 33.3% in control group (P<0.05). There was 32 cases of grade Ⅰ and 1 case of grade Ⅱ of otalgia in experimental group, but 22 cases of grade Ⅰ and 5 cases of grade Ⅱ in the control group (P<0.05). Sleep time in experimental group was (15.61±0.93) hours compared with (12.44±1.31) hours in the control group (P<0.05). Bleeding rate was 6.1% in experimental group compared with 29.2% in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion Preliminary evidence suggests that Nasopore is better than iodoform gauze as a packing material for chronic otitis media surgery, with less incidence of complications, otalgia, secondary trauma and more sleep time in the patients after middle ear surgery.

Key words: Nasopore, Modified radical mastoidectomy, Ear cavity angioplasty, Packing, Iodoform gauze, Chronic otitis media