Is Cartilage a Better Option than Temporalis Fascia for Grafting in Type 1 Tympanoplasty?: An Institutional Study

Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is one of the important health problems in our country. The present study was conducted to compare Cartilage and Temporalis Fascia as graft material for Type 1 Tympanoplasty for CSOM. The study was conducted to assess hearing outcome as average AB Gap closure respect to age of the patient and size of perforation, to evaluate Graft uptake with both grafting material and with respect to size of perforation and to find the complication rate. Prospective Comparative study was conducted on 60 patients of CSOM divided in two groups and randomly selected for cartilage Typanoplasty and Temporalis Fascia Tympanoplasty. Hearing result are compared pre and post operative. Group 1(cartilage): Average AB Gap closure was 55% for Small CP, 50% for Moderate CP, 40% for Large CP, 38% for Subtotal CP. In Group 2(Temoralis Fascia): Average AB Gap closure was 81% for Small CP, 72% for Moderate CP, 64% for Large CP, 52% for Subtotal CP. In Group 1, 46% and in Group 2, 69% Average closure of AB gap observed at 12 weeks post operatively. The p value for our study was found to be < 0.05, which statistically indicates better hearing outcome with TF graft. Cartilage is an excellent grafting material because of its accessibility, resistance to negative pressure and high graft uptake rate. Temporalis Fascia is easily available with similar thickness to TM. It showed inferior morphological uptake rate compared to cartilage though functional gain was better.