Effects of basic fibroblast growth factor dose on traumatic tympanic membrane perforation

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Wound Healing

Background:

• Traumatic tympanic membrane perforations (TMP) can lead to hearing loss and infections.
• Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is a growth factor with potential to promote tissue repair.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of different doses of bFGF in healing human traumatic TMP.
• To compare closure rates, healing times, and otorrhea rates between lower and higher bFGF doses.

Main Methods:

• A prospective clinical study involving 126 patients with traumatic TMP.
• Patients received either a lower (0.1-0.15 mL) or higher (0.25-0.3 mL) daily dose of bFGF solution.
• Outcomes were assessed at 3 months, comparing closure rate, closure time, and otorrhea.

Main Results:

• The higher bFGF dose group showed a significantly lower rate of purulent otorrhea compared to the lower-dose group (p < 0.01).
• The lower bFGF dose group exhibited a significantly shorter closure time (5 days) than the higher-dose group (p < 0.05).
• No significant differences in closure rates or times were observed for medium or large perforations between the dose groups.

Conclusions:

• Lower-dose bFGF application appears to be effective in shortening the closure time of traumatic TMP.
• Continued daily application of a lower bFGF dose may help prevent secondary purulent otorrhea.
• bFGF offers a potential therapeutic agent for managing traumatic TMP.