Plasma-Rich Fibrin-Regenerative Material in Tympanic Membrane Surgery

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Biomaterials Science

Background:

• Platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) membrane is known for its role in cell proliferation and wound healing.
• Tympanoplasty is a surgical procedure to repair the eardrum.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of incorporating PRF membrane into cartilage grafts during tympanoplasty.
• To assess the impact of PRF on graft survival and hearing outcomes in patients with chronic dry eardrum perforations.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study involving 47 patients undergoing tympanoplasty (types I-IV) for chronic dry eardrum perforations.
• Patients were divided into two groups: cartilage graft alone (Group 1, n=27) and cartilage graft with PRF membrane (Group 2, n=20).
• Postoperative assessments included otoendoscopy, otomicroscopy, and pure-tone audiometry at various intervals up to 12 months.

Main Results:

• The PRF group demonstrated a significantly higher graft survival rate (95.0%) compared to the non-PRF group (70.4%) at 12 months (p < 0.05).
• Patients receiving PRF had statistically significantly lower postoperative hearing threshold values (18.4 ± 10.4 dB) than those without PRF (27.6 ± 16.2 dB) (p < 0.001).
• While not statistically significant, the PRF group showed greater improvement in air-bone gap values.

Conclusions:

• The addition of PRF membrane to cartilage grafts significantly increases autograft survival rates in tympanoplasty.
• PRF is an effective and well-tolerated biomaterial for improving outcomes in patients with chronic tympanic membrane perforations.
• PRF shows promise in enhancing both graft success and hearing restoration following tympanoplasty.