Underlay cartilage tympanoplasty: different ways of application of the graft

The objective of this study was to evaluate underlay tympanoplasty technique of perichondrium cartilage graft according to the position of the graft with respect to the handle of malleus and remnant of tympanic membrane. In all, 150 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (safe type) underwent tympanoplasty with or without mastoidectomy. The patients were divided into three groups (50 patients in each group). Group I graft was placed medial to the handle of malleus, group II graft was placed at the plane of malleus, group III graft was placed lateral to the malleus between it and remnant of tympanic membrane. Success rate (graft taken with no residual perforation) in all cases is 98% (147 cases). Success rate in groups I–III is 98% (49 cases), 100% (50 cases) and 96% (48 cases), respectively. There is significant statistical improvement of postoperative pure tone audiogram. Underlay cartilage tympanoplasty was associated with a high rate of graft taken and good hearing results despite the position of the graft in relation to the handle of malleus.