Background In many European and American hospitals, represented by the House Ear Clinic (HEC), the overlay tympanoplasty is used with rare exception, with simultaneous canal wall up or down mastoidectomy being taken if needed. In China, underlay tympanoplasty is used across the country, but the overlay tech-nique is used rarely. The aim of the current study was to report the authors’experience with overlay tympa-noplasty in 83 Chinese patients and study its value. Methods Eight-three patients (86 ears) underwent over-lay tympanoplasty in accordance to the standard of the HEC. The patients were followed up and conditions of the external auditory canal, tympanic membrane and hearing were reviewed and analyzed. Results All patients gained stage I incision healing. The size of external auditory canal and tympanic membrane mor-phology were satisfactory. Hearing either remained unchanged or improved. There were no hearing deterio-ration or serious complications. Conclusions Overlay tympanoplasty carries positive value in treating chron-ic otitis media and cholesteatoma with the merits of procedure standardization, adequate operative exposure, thorough disease elimination and extensive adaptation.