COMPARISON BETWEEN TRAGAL CARTILAGE WITH PERICHONDRIUM AND TEMPORALIS FASCIA GRAFT BY UNDERLAY ENDOSCOPIC TYMPANOPLASTY

Objective: To compare the results of tragal cartilage with perichondrium versus temporalis fascia graft in endoscopic tympanoplasty using underlay technique. Study Design: Comparative prospective study. Place and Duration of Study: Study conducted in Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi, from Jul 2018 to Feb 2020. Methodology: Overall, 34 patients having permanent unilateral tympanic membrane perforations were included in this study, in whom underlay endoscopic tympanoplasty was performed. Group A patients underwent temporalis fascia graft while group B received a tragal cartilage with perichondrium graft. The success rate between groups was compared in respect of reduction in postoperative air-bone gap and healing of perforation. Results: The success rate of graft was 88% (30/34) in group A and 94% (32/34) in group B after 6 months follow-up, the difference was not found to be statistically significant (p=0.368). Hearing improvement in the form of closure of air bone gap in group A was from 24.52 ± 1.73 dB (decibel) to 13.56 ± 5.67s dB and in group B it was from 19.76 ± 3.47dB to 11.94 ± 3.9dB, the difference was not significant statistically (p=0.333). Conclusion: Keeping in view the results of our study, we conclude that both tragal cartilage with perichondrium and temporalis fascia graft are considered equally successful in endoscopic tympanoplasty.

ROLE OF FIBRIN GLUE FOR BETTER SUCCESS RATE IN MYRINGOPLASTY

Objective: To see graft uptake success rate in platelet rich fibrin aided underlay myringoplasties using temporalis fascia graft compared to conventional underlay myringoplasties. Study Design: Double blind randomized controlled trial study. Place and Duration of Study: ENT department, Pakistan Naval Ship Shifa Hospital, from Jan to Jun 2019. Methodology: Sixty cases with dry central tympanic membrane perforations were recruited. The patients suffering from sensori-neural hearing loss and co-morbidities like diabetes were excluded. The sampling technique was probability simple random. Patients were divided into two groups by lottery method. Statistical analysis was performed by using SPSS. The chi square test was applied to calculate p-value. Results: Out of total 60 patients 38 were males and 22 were females. Study group’s (Fibrin) mean age was 31.77 ± 12.43 years and Control group’s mean age was 27.53 ± 11.41 years. All the patients in platelet rich fibrin group had successful graft uptake at 2 months follow-up. In control group with conventional technique 23 out of 30 patients had successful graft uptake and rest 7 patients had different issues leading to graft rejection. Conclusion: In under lay myringoplasty procedure, application of platelet rich fibrin on temporalis fascia graft edge and perforation edges has significantly improved the successful uptake rate of graft.

Comparison of Reinforcement Cartilage Graft and Temporalis Fascia Graft in Type 1 Tympanoplasty

Background: Chronic otitis media (COM) is the long-standing infection of a part or whole of middle ear cleft characterized by ear discharge and perforation. It is the commonest ear problem in adult and children. Most common presenting symptoms are ear discharge, mild to severe hearing loss, sometimes tinnitus even vertigo. Treatment of COM is mainly operative. Inactive mucosal variety of COM presents with the perforation in tympanic membrane with non-inflamed middle ear mucosa. The treatment of inactive mucosal variety of COM is Type 1tympanoplasty. It can be done by conventional temporalis fascia or cartilage graft. Both have some merits and demerits. Objective: To compare the the outcomes between reinforcement cartilage graft and temporalis fascia graft in type -1 tympanoplasty. Methods: 86 (43 patients in each group) patients with COM (inactive mucosal) who were admitted in the department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka from January 2018 to June 2019, and had fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected for the study. History, examinations, investigations were done. All patients underwent type 1 tympanoplasty. Prior to surgery relevant investigations were done and informed written consent was taken from all patients. In Group-A reinforcement cartilage tympanoplasty cases and in Group-B temporalis fascia tympanoplasty cases were placed. Post-operative graft uptake rate and hearing gain were compared in two groups Results: The surgical outcomes between reinforcement cartilage tympanoplasty in comparison with temporalis fascia tympanoplasty showed no significant difference of graft uptake rate and hearing gain. Conclusion: Cartilage tympanoplasty has been practised for reconstruction of perforated tympanic membrane in COM since long with variable results. Graft uptake rate in cartilage reinforcement is comparatively better than temporalis fascia graft. So, reinforcement cartilage graft can be adopted as an alternative to temporalis fascia graft in type- I tympanoplasty. Bangladesh J Otorhinolaryngol 2021; 27(2): 104-110

Endoscopic tympanoplasty using Tutoplast versus conventional microscopic tympanoplasty

Background Temporalis fascia and perichondrium are still the most successful graft materials for primary microscopic repair of tympanic membrane perforations worldwide with 80% to 90% success rate. However, minimally invasive surgery is becoming standard in many fields and the endoscope has been largely incorporated in ear surgery over the past 10 years. This study aimed to evaluate the success rate of endoscopic transcanal closure of tympanic membrane perforation using Tutoplast® compared with the conventional post auricular approach using homologous temporalis fascia graft. Results Our study was conducted on 50 patients, were equally divided into 2 groups. Group A patients have been operated endoscopic transcanal using the Tutoplast as a graft material. Group B patients have been operated using a temporalis fascia graft through a post-auricular approach. The graft take rate, the pre- and post-operative pure tone audiogram, and operative time were compared in both the groups. The graft uptake rate was 100% in both groups. The mean of ABG showed significant improvement in both groups. In group A, the mean of ABG was 28.2 pre-operatively and became 12.12 post-operatively. In group B, the mean of ABG was 29.72 pre-operatively then became 15.2 post-operatively. Comparing the mean of post-operative ABG between both groups showed statistically significant difference as p value was 0.000496. We found a significant difference of the mean average operative time between both groups as the mean average time for group A was 48.08 min compared to 69.4 min for group B with p value 0.049772295. Conclusions Endoscopic closure of tympanic membrane perforation using Tutoplast is successful short-time procedure avoiding the postauricular or endaural incisions with shorter operative time.

Hearing Status After Cartilage Augmented Type III Tympanoplasty: In Chronic Otitis Media Squamous Type

Introduction: Tympanoplasty is typically performed in conjunction with a canal wall down mastoidectomy in patient with Chronic Otitis Media Squamous. The results from experimental and clinical studies of the type III stapes columellar reconstruction have shown that interposing a disk of cartilage between the graft and the stapes head improves hearing in the lower frequencies by 5 to 10 dB. They hypothesize that the cartilage acts to increase the “effective” area of the graft that is coupled to the stapes, which leads to an increase in the middle ear gain of the reconstructed ear. Aims: To assess the hearing improvement after cartilage augmented Type III Tympanoplasty in chronic otitis media squamous disease. Methods: This study was conducted in 44 patients with Chronic Otitis Media squamous in the patients attending the department of Otorhinolaryngology in NGMC teaching hospital from November 2018 to March 2020. Canal Wall Down mastoidectomy with cartilage augmented type III Tympanoplasty and was done. Augmentation was done with thin 3-4 mm conchal cartilage interposed between stapes and Temporalis fascia graft. Results: There were 11(25%) male and 33(75%) female, with mean age of 29.48 years, ranging from minimum of 15 years to maximum 56 years. The preoperative mean A–B gap was 21.82 and postoperatively means AB gap was 12.20 dB with overall AB gap gain was 9.64 dB. Conclusion: Significant hearing improvement is seen in Canal Wall Down mastoidectomy Chronic Otitis Media squamous after cartilage augmented type III tympanoplasty.

Mechanics of Total Drum Replacement Tympanoplasty Studied With Wideband Acoustic Immittance

Objective Poor hearing outcomes often persist following total drum replacement tympanoplasty. To understand the mechanics of the reconstructed eardrum, we measured wideband acoustic immittance and compared the mechanical characteristics of fascia-grafted ears with the normal tympanic membrane. Study Design Prospective comparison study. Setting Tertiary care center. Methods Patients who underwent uncomplicated total drum replacement with temporalis fascia grafts were identified. Ears with healed grafts, an aerated middle ear, and no other conductive abnormalities were included. All patients underwent pre- and postoperative audiometry. Wideband acoustic immittance was measured with absorbance and impedance computed. Fascia-grafted ears were compared with normal unoperated ears. Results Eleven fascia-grafted ears without complications were included. Postoperatively, the median air-bone gap was 15 dB (250-4000 Hz), with variation across frequency and between ears. Fifty-six control ears were included. Absorbance of fascia-grafted ears was significantly lower than that of normal ears at 1 to 4 kHz ( P < .05) but similar below 1 kHz. Impedance magnitude demonstrated deeper and sharper resonant notches in fascia-grafted ears than normal ears ( P < .05), suggesting lower mechanical resistance of the fascia graft. Conclusion The mechanics of fascia-grafted ears differ from the normal tympanic membrane by having lower absorbance at mid- to high frequencies and thus poor sound transmission. The lower resistance in fascia-grafted ears may be due to poor coupling of the graft to the malleus. To improve sound transmission, grafts for tympanic membrane reconstructions would benefit from refined mechanical properties.

A comparative study of temporalis fascia versus tragal perichondrium graft in myringoplasty

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> This study aimed to compare the efficacy of temporalis fascia and tragal perichondrium grafts in myringoplasty and to assess the hearing improvement following surgery.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> This was a clinical prospective study involving 50 patients of chronic suppurative otitis media inactive mucosal disease who were assigned to two groups. Group I was temporalis fascia group and group II was tragal perichondrium group and subsequently underwent myringoplasty. Patients were followed up at 3 and 6 months.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> There was a preponderance of ear disease among children, with a male to female ratio of 1:1.63. Preoperative dry ear for 1-6 months was associated with 82.9% success rate (group I 76.5%, group II 87.5%). Patients with cellular mastoids were associated with 100% success rate.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> In this study we found that patients with cellular mastoids and dry ear for 1-6 months were associated with higher success rates. The study also revealed that in terms of hearing gain postoperatively, the temporalis fascia graft fared slightly better than the tragal perichondrium graft. Tragal perichondrium and temporalis fascia grafts appear to have almost similar graft take rates.</p>

Pre-operative and post-operative audiological evaluation of type 1 tympanoplasty and comparison between temporalis fascia graft and tragal perichondrium graft

<p><strong>Background: </strong>Aim of the study was<strong> </strong>to evaluate the hearing improvement of type 1 tympanoplasty performed by using autologous temporalis fascia and autologous tragal perichondrium graft in successfully operated and graft uptake cases, with respect to age, sex, size of perforation and type of graft.</p><p><strong>Methods:</strong> This prospective study consists of total 100 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) tubotympanic disease who have undergone type 1 tympanoplasty. Randomization of patients was done. Every alternate patient was divided accordingly in to two groups-one in temporalis fascia graft group and another in tragal perichondrium graft group. Pure tone audiometry (PTA) was performed preoperatively and 3 months after surgery. Cases with successful graft uptake were included in the study. Statistical comparisons were performed using the t test, and ANOVA test.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In this study maximum numbers of patients were found in the age group of 15-30 years. Study showed that audiological benefits were more in males in comparison to females. Large size of perforation showed more improvement due to more air bone gap in comparison to medium size and small size perforation of ears. Audiological improvement occurred in 94% of cases, 3% cases worsened and 3% cases showed no change. More improvement was found in temporalis fascia graft in comparison to tragal perichondrium graft.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Type 1 tympanoplasty is a safe and effective technique to improve the quality of life of patients. Size of perforation, type of graft was found to have a major effect on the final outcome of surgery.</p>