Abstract
Introduction The use of endoscope is rapidly increasing in otological and neuro-otological surgery
in the last 2 decades. Middle ear surgeries, including tympanoplasty, have increasingly
utilized endoscopes as an adjunct to or as a replacement for the operative microscope.
Superior visualization and transcanal access to diseases normally managed with a transmastoid
approach are touted as advantages with the endoscope.
Objectives The present study aimed to compare the outcomes of endoscopic and microscopic cartilage
tympanoplasty (Type I)
Methods This was a retrospective comparative study of 70 patients (25 males and 45 females)
who underwent type I tympanoplasty between March 2015 and April 2016. The subjects
were classified into 2 groups: endoscopic tympanoplasty (ET, n = 35), and microscopic tympanoplasty (MT, n = 35). Tragal cartilage was used as a graft and technique used was cartilage shield
tympanoplasty in both groups. Demographic data, perforation size of the tympanic membrane
at the preoperative state, operation time, hearing outcome, and graft success rate
were evaluated.
Results The epidemiological profiles, the preoperative hearing status, and the perforation
size were similar in both groups. The mean operation time of the MT group (52.63 ± 8.68 minutes)
was longer than that of the ET group (48.20 ± 10.37 minutes), but the difference was
not statistically significant. The graft success rates 12 weeks postoperatively were
91.42% both in the ET and MT groups, that is, 32/35; and these values were not statistically
significantly different. There was a statistically significant improvement in hearing
within the groups, both pre- and postoperatively, but there was no difference between
the groups.
Conclusion Endoscopic tympanoplasty is a minimally invasive surgery with similar graft success
rate, comparable hearing outcomes and shorter operative time period as compared to
microscopic use.
Keywords
tympanoplasty - cartilage - microscope - endoscope
