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Tympanic membrane repair with a dermal allograft
D W Laidlaw1, P D Costantino, S Govindaraj
1Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.
The Laryngoscope
|May 19, 2001
Summary
Acellular dermis shows promise for repairing chronic tympanic membrane perforations. This study found AlloDerm effective in animal models, suggesting it may be a viable alternative to traditional tympanoplasty materials.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Regenerative Medicine
- Biomaterials Science
Background:
- Chronic tympanic membrane perforations are a common otolaryngologic issue.
- Traditional tympanoplasty materials like temporalis fascia and rice paper have limitations.
- A simpler, effective office-based repair method is sought.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate acellular dermis (AlloDerm) as an alternative material for patch tympanoplasty.
- To compare the efficacy of AlloDerm versus rice paper in repairing chronic tympanic membrane perforations.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 28 adult chinchillas.
- Subtotal tympanic membrane perforations were surgically created.
- Animals with stable, non-regenerating perforations were used for patch tympanoplasty with either AlloDerm or rice paper.
Main Results:
- 78% of AlloDerm tympanoplasties (18/23) showed successful closure after 5-6 weeks.
- 66% of rice paper controls (14/21) demonstrated closure.
- Histological analysis confirmed AlloDerm integration into the tympanic membrane's fibrous layer.
Conclusions:
- Acellular dermis (AlloDerm) appears to be a suitable alternative for patch tympanoplasty.
- The material demonstrated successful incorporation and perforation repair in an animal model.
- Further human studies are recommended to confirm efficacy.
