Simultaneous bilateral butterfly tympanoplasty using tragal cartilage from one ear

To evaluate the outcomes of simultaneous bilateral inlay butterfly cartilage tympanoplasties (BIBCT) using tragal cartilage from one ear in patients with bilateral chronic otitis media (BCOM).

33 patients (66 ears) who underwent bilateral inlay butterfly cartilage tympanoplasties between June 2013 and September 2016 in Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery of Adiyaman University Education and Research Hospital, Adiyaman, Turkey - a tertiary care university teaching hospital. Anatomical success and functional success were assessed postoperatively. Air-bone gap (ABG), air-conduction thresholds, and bone-conduction thresholds were all assessed. The preoperative and postoperative averages of 0.5, 1, 2, and 3kHz of pure-tone thresholds were used for the mean air- and bone-conduction thresholds according to the guidelines of the Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium.

Anatomical success could be demonstrated in 57 of 66 ears (86.3%). The overall mean of ABG improved from 23.97±8.63dB preoperatively to 10.42±4.82dB postoperatively (p<0.05). The ABG gain was 13.55±8.17dB. Postoperative percentages of patients with ABG less than 20dB and 10dB were excellently achieved to 98% (41% preoperatively) and 56% (10.6% preoperatively), respectively. The average length of operation time for both ears was 57.42±9.39min.

When compared with conventional two-staged tympanoplasty in patients with BCOM, simultaneous BIBCT using tragal cartilage from one ear is an advantageous approach for multiple reasons which include single hospital stay with resultant decreased risk of complications associated with anesthesia and surgery, less morbidity like cosmetic and hearing discomfort, time-savingness and cost-effectiveness.