[Lyophilized allogeneic costal cartilage as reconstruction material in middle-ear surgery]

From 1.1. 1983 to 31.3. 1983 we used lyophilised allogenic costal cartilage as reconstruction material in middle ear surgery in 53 patients. Reconstructions of the posterior bony canal wall were performed in cholesteatoma surgery in 89% of the cases. Lyophilised cartilage was also used for the restoration of a traumatic defect in the posterior bony canal wall, for the reconstruction of an atretic ear and an old radical cavity, for closing of a bony defect in the roof of the mastoid, and shaping a cartilaginous columella, or modiolus. Lyophilised cartilage fulfills its function completely in 87% of the cases. 5 reconstructions of the posterior bony canal wall were moderately sunk in. The ears were however dry and free of an inflammation. Both the ear canal and the drum were easy to survey. In 2 cases of a recurrent cholesteatoma, the lyophilised cartilage was extensively destroyed. There were no problems, such as incompatibility, host-versus graft reaction, infection or distortion of the cartilage. With regard to our results, we recommend lyophilised allogenic costal cartilage as reconstruction material in circumscribed defects of the bony ear canal and in bony defects of the skull base of the ear, if larger and thicker pieces of cartilage, as can obtained from the patient's ear, are necessary.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)