Hearing results with cartilage tympanoplasty

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Regenerative Medicine
• Biomaterials Science

Background:

• Cartilage is a promising graft material for tympanic membrane (TM) perforations, especially in complex middle ear cases.
• Its rigidity offers resistance to resorption and retraction, unlike fascia.
• Concerns exist regarding potential conductive hearing loss due to cartilage's stiffness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare hearing outcomes of cartilage tympanoplasty with perichondrium grafts in Type I tympanoplasty.
• To evaluate the efficacy of cartilage as a TM reconstructive material.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study comparing two groups of patients undergoing Type I tympanoplasty.
• One group received cartilage grafts, the other received perichondrium grafts.
• Hearing results were assessed by pre- and postoperative pure-tone average air-bone gap (PTA-ABG).

Main Results:

• Successful TM closure was achieved in all cartilage graft patients (22/22).
• Recurrent perforations occurred in 3/20 perichondrium graft patients.
• Both groups showed statistically significant hearing improvement (P < 0.001), with no significant difference between cartilage and perichondrium groups.
• No correlation found between the percentage of TM reconstructed with cartilage and hearing outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Cartilage tympanoplasty provides a reliable method for TM reconstruction.
• It yields excellent postoperative hearing results, comparable to traditional perichondrium grafts.
• Cartilage is a viable option for TM repair, particularly in cases requiring durable graft material.