Outcomes of the overlay graft technique in tympanoplasty

This audit was undertaken to review the outcomes achieved with the overlay graft technique of tympanic membrane repair in tympanoplasty surgery.

The charts of all patients who underwent tympanoplasty, in whom an overlay graft technique of temporalis fascia tympanic membrane repair was used, between 1994 and 2007 were reviewed. Information with respect to patient demographics, presence of cholesteatoma or active infection and perforation size was documented. Details of the surgical procedure and clinical outcomes and pre- and post-operative hearing thresholds were recorded in a computer database.

A total of 147 overlay graft procedures were performed in 130 patients. Graft failure with reperforation occurred following five procedures, for an overall success rate of 96.6%. Eighty Type 1 tympanoplasty procedures were performed in which one failure occurred for a 98.75% success rate. Overlay grafting was combined with intact canal wall mastoidectomy (ICW) in 38 cases and with modified radical mastoidectomy (MRM) in 17 cases for a success rate of 93.8 and 95%, respectively. Delayed graft healing as a result of infection, problems such as epithelial pearl, blunting and myringitis occurred in 39 cases (26.5%). Thirty-one cases underwent procedures for ossicular chain reconstruction, 21 of which were 2nd stage procedures. Hearing outcomes were significantly better with Type 1 tympanoplasty compared with ICW or MRM procedures.

This review demonstrates the overlay graft technique of tympanoplasty to be highly successful for tympanic membrane repair, particularly for the more difficult cases such as revision surgery, subtotal perforations and mesotympanic cholesteatoma.