Outcomes of type-1 tympanoplasty with temporalis fascia only and with conchal cartilage.

Background The aim of our study was to evaluate the audiological and graft uptake rate outcomes of tympanoplasty using only the temporal fascia and temporal fascia with cartilage slice reinforcement.

Methods Among patients who underwent ear surgeries at the Otorhinolaryngology Department of AkfaMedline clinic selected 60 patients who underwent type 1 tympanoplasty with preoperative characteristics: conductive hearing loss with dry ear, perforation of the tympanic membrane for more than 6 months, and a mobile ossicular chain. They were divided into two groups: 30 patients with only a temporal fascia graft and 30 patients with a temporal fascia flap with cartilage slice reinforcement. The age group of patients ranged from 20 to 60 years, the most common age group was from 30 to 40 years.

Results Overall graft acceptance “success rate” in the fascia group was 88% and in the cartilage group it was 93%. Hearing results are evaluated in terms of air bone gap in standard 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 kHz preoperatively and postoperatively after six months after the surgery. The initial audiological improvements were better in the fascia graft group – the average air bone gap decreased from 32 dB to 10 dB, and in the cartilage group the average air bone gap decreased from 32 dB to 19.6 dB. The audiological results in terms of air bone gap improvement between two groups were significant.

Conclusions Tympanoplasty using a temporal fascia flap has better hearing results only in comparison with the results of using a temporal fascia flap with cartilage reinforcement. However, the graft success rate is higher with cartilage reinforcement than with temporal fascia alone. Cartilage slice support is a reliable method of tympanic membrane reconstruction in cases of high-risk perforation.

AKFAMEDLINE Clinic

Publication History

Article published online:
12 May 2023