Subgroup Analysis
In order to reduce potential sources of bias, for subgroup analysis, patients were divided into those who had reconstructive procedures, which were stapes surgery, myringoplasty and ossiculoplasty; and those who had what we classified as non-reconstructive procedures which included surgery for cholesteatoma and bony meatoplasty. This was similar to the categories used by Salzman et al .5 In addition, presence or absence of bone removal was recorded.