Audiological and graft take results of cartilage reinforcement tympanoplasty (a new technique) versus fascia.

Our objective is to compare hearing and graft take results of temporal muscle fascia tympanoplasty and cartilage reinforcement tympanoplasty. Seventy seven patients are classified into two groups: Group 1 included 37 patients for whom cartilage graft, harvested from symba concha, is used as reinforcement under temporalis muscle fascia anteriorly and Group 2 included 40 patients for whom only temporalis muscle fascia is used in type 1 tympanoplasty. A pure-tone audiometry is done within 1 week prior to surgery and at 6 months postoperatively. There is statistically significant difference between postoperative graft take results among groups. In both groups postoperative anterior TM perforation is encountered most commonly. Success rate of cartilage reinforcement tympanoplasty in revision patients is 100% but temporal muscle fascia tympanoplasty's is 66%. There is no statistically significant difference between preoperative and postoperative air conduction gain of TM intact patients. The results indicated that Cartilage reinforcement myringoplasty technique under anterior of the temporal muscle fascia significantly increases the graft take ratios in high-risk perforations and it also does not affect hearing levels. Therefore, the authors suggest usage of cartilage reinforcement tympanoplasty technique under anterior of the temporal muscle fascia which is an easy and applicable technique to increase graft take ratios, particularly in patients with preoperative anterior and subtotal TM perforations.