Effect of ciprodex on graft healing in tympanoplasty

The present study was conducted to evaluate whether the administration of ciprofloxacin 0.3%/dexamethasone 0.1% (Ciprodex)-soaked gelfoam during tympanoplasty has adverse effects on graft healing. Records of patients who had undergone tympanoplasty with Ciprodex-soaked gelfoam packing placed in the middle and external ear canal were reviewed. The time to heal for each patient and the number of postoperative perforations/complications were recorded. Sixty-four charts met the inclusion criteria. Most procedures were primary type I tympanoplasties with temporalis fascia grafts. Healing of the tympanic membrane was documented in 95.3% of patients, and mean time to healing was 49 d. Two patients who underwent revision tympanoplasty failed to exhibit healing at any visit after surgery. Postoperative complications were infrequent. Patients with Ciprodex-soaked gelfoam packing placed during tympanoplasty showed an overall rate of healing of 95%. Although this study is limited by its retrospective design, the data suggest that the use of Ciprodex during tympanoplasty has no detrimental effect on postoperative graft healing.