Fat Myringoplasty for Small Central Perforation of Tympanic Membrane: A Prospective Study

In fat myringoplasty, fat harvested from ear lobule is used as graft material for the closure of small size central perforation of tympanic membrane under local anaesthesia. This study was performed over a period of 5 years (January 2016-December 2020) on 67 cases who underwent surgery and were willing to participate in the study at our tertiary hospital. Closure of perforation was found in 93% of cases within 2-3 months of surgery. Hearing gain was 6.8 dB on an average and morbidity was insignificant in successful cases. Fat myringoplasty is a successful yet simple procedure for repair of small size perforations. It is a day-care procedure under local anaesthesia requiring minimal tissue handling. It is also cost effective and has minimum post-operative morbidity. The likely cause of failure are ear infections and graft displacement due to respiratory tract infections. Results of the fat myringoplasty also depend upon the experience of the operating surgeon and cooperation of the patient.