Main outcome measure
Patients were closely monitored for complications such as tinnitus, vertigo, facial paralysis, abnormal sense of taste and hearing loss. Within the first week after operation, each patient received two to three levofloxacin ear drops per day in the ear subject to surgery. All patients were examined at the first month, third month and sixth month after operation. At each follow-up visit, the operator checked the external auditory meatus, the healing of tympanic membrane and performed pure tone audiometry (PTA, at 500 Hz, 1000 Hz, 2000 Hz and 4000 Hz) to evaluate the level of hearing recovery.