Tympanoplasty: the fundamentals of the concept.

The development of tympanoplasty based on a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of the middle ear in health and disease is described as it evolved. As a consequence of problems arising from the creation of an open cavity further developments led to the concept of a 'closed' operation which in turn has its own disadvantages. These are principally concerned with aeration of the tubotympanic cleft. The most recent phase of tympanoplasty is concerned with limiting the extent of the procedure to what is required to expose the disease process and re-establish function.