Cartilage "shield" tympanoplasty: an effective and practical technique

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Surgical Innovation
• Auditory Health

Background:

• Total tympanic membrane perforations can lead to hearing loss and recurrent infections.
• Traditional tympanoplasty techniques may have limitations in achieving optimal outcomes for large or chronic perforations.
• Cartilage shield tympanoplasty (CST) offers a potential alternative for reconstructing the tympanic membrane.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy and outcomes of cartilage shield tympanoplasty (CST) for total tympanic membrane perforations.
• To assess graft take rates and audiological results following CST.
• To determine the safety and reliability of the CST procedure.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of 177 patients who underwent CST in tertiary referral centers.
• Data collection included patient demographics, surgical details, and postoperative follow-up.
• Outcome measures comprised graft take, audiometric evaluation (pure-tone air-bone gap), and complication assessment.

Main Results:

• Excellent graft take rate of 97.2% was observed.
• Significant hearing improvement, with an average air-bone gap reduction of 13.37 dB (p < 0.0001).
• 79.1% of patients achieved a postoperative air-bone gap of 25 dB or less, with minimal complications.

Conclusions:

• Cartilage shield tympanoplasty (CST) is a highly reliable and effective surgical option for total tympanic membrane perforations.
• The procedure demonstrates excellent graft success and provides significant, statistically significant hearing improvement.
• CST offers a safe and durable solution for tympanic membrane reconstruction.