[Application of cartilage in tympanoplasty]

Cartilage has undergone rapid development in ear surgery since Heermann used the grid cartilage technique to repair large perforations of the tympanic membrane. Cartilage has been widely used in tympanoplasty, ossicular chain reconstruction, reconstruction of the lateral wall of the upper tympanic cavity and the posterior wall of the external auditory canal due to its advantages of convenient sampling, high stability, good elasticity, low metabolic rate, easy survival and strong plasticity. This paper reviews the use of cartilage in tympanoplasty and discusses the possibility of placing cartilage on the stapes head for reconstruction of the auditory chain in type Ⅱ tympanoplasty.