Day case myringoplasty using tragal perichondrium

Day surgery has an ever-increasing role to play in otology. In this study of myringoplasty, tragal perichondrial grafts were placed permeatally as a day case procedure in 32 patients. These are compared with a control group, matched for age and for the size of their perforations, in whom temporalis fascia was grafted via an endaural or postaural incision. The success rate was 94% in the perichondrial group as compared with 84% in the control group (no significant difference P > 0.05). Day case myringoplasty produced less morbidity for the patients and a 40% reduction in theatre time as well as the more obvious savings resulting from a shorter hospital stay.