Functional results of temporalis fascia versus cartilage tympanoplasty in patients with bilateral chronic otitis media

OBJECTIVES: To compare the functional results of type I tympanoplasty performed with either temporalis fascia or a perichondrium and cartilage island flap, in patients with bilateral chronic otitis media. METHOD: The study included primary tympanoplasty cases with a subtotal perforation, an intact ossicular chain, a dry ear for at least one month and normal middle-ear mucosa, together with contralateral tympanic membrane perforation. Temporalis fascia tympanoplasty was undertaken in 41 patients, and cartilage tympanoplasty in 39 patients. RESULTS: The graft success rate was 65.9 per cent for the fascia group and 92.3 per cent for the cartilage group. Post-operatively, the mean ± standard deviation air conduction threshold was 28.54 ± 14.20 dB for the fascia group and 22.97 ± 8.37 dB for the cartilage group, while the mean ± standard deviation bone conduction threshold was 11.71 ± 8.50 dB for the fascia group and 7.15 ± 5.56 dB for the cartilage group. CONCLUSION: In patients with bilateral chronic otitis media, cartilage tympanoplasty seems to provide better hearing results and graft success rates.