Closure of tympanic membrane perforations by the use of fat.

Otologists have attempted to close tympanic membrane perforations for 300 years. It has been in the past 25 years that closure with autograft materials has been consistently successful. Homografts have been successful for the past 10 years. One of the autograft materials, ear lobe fat, has been in use for the past 15 years. Over this period 65 patients have been reviewed. This report reviews the literature, explains the technique and summarizes the results as to hearing, graft mobility and graft survival.