Postoperative Pain Following a Retroauricular Approach Versus a Transcanal Approach in Tympanoplasty Type 1: A 14-Day...

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Surgical Techniques
• Pain Management

Background:

• Chronic tympanic membrane perforation is a common condition requiring surgical repair.
• Type I tympanoplasty is a standard procedure for addressing such perforations.
• Surgical approach selection may influence patient outcomes, including pain and recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of transcanal versus retroauricular surgical approaches for type I tympanoplasty.
• To evaluate the impact of surgical approach on postoperative pain and quality of life.
• To assess differences in recovery metrics between the two surgical methods.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 45 adult patients undergoing type I tympanoplasty.
• Patients categorized into transcanal (n=24) and retroauricular (n=21) groups.
• Postoperative pain assessed via Wong-Baker FACES scale; analgesic use and activity limitations recorded.

Main Results:

• Graft success rates were high and comparable in both groups (95.8% transcanal, 95.2% retroauricular).
• The transcanal group reported significantly lower pain scores (days 5-8) and earlier cessation of analgesic use (3.1 vs 4.3 days).
• Transcanal approach demonstrated shorter operative times (55.4 vs 90.2 min) and fewer activity limitations.

Conclusions:

• The transcanal approach for type I tympanoplasty is associated with reduced postoperative pain compared to the retroauricular approach.
• Patients undergoing the transcanal approach experience earlier recovery and require less analgesic medication.
• The transcanal approach offers potential advantages in terms of patient comfort and operative efficiency for tympanoplasty.