Long-term results of type I tympanoplasty with perichondrium reinforced cartilage palisade vs temporalis fascia for large perforations: A retrospective study

Objective: To compare the rate of graft uptake and postoperative hearing outcomes of Type I tympanoplasty with perichondrium reinforced cartilage palisade to temporalis fascia for large tympanic membrane (TM) perforations over 5 years follow-up period.

Materials and methods: This was a retrospective comparative study involving patients with chronic otitis media with large TM perforations. The patients underwent type I tympanoplasty using either perichondrium reinforced cartilage palisade (CP group) or temporalis fascia (TF group) as the graft via a transmeatal approach and under local anesthesia. Morphological and functional results were recorded at three- and five years follow-up. Demographic profiles including age and sex, surgery side, contralateral disease and graft uptake rate, as well as hearing outcomes, were compared between the two groups.

Results: At three years follow-up, graft uptake was 94.87% for perichondrium reinforced cartilage palisade and 80.7% for fascia, respectively, (p = 0.67). At five years follow-up, the uptake rate dropped to 87.17% in the CP group, but to 66.6% in the TF group (p=0.019). Hearing improved after surgery in both groups, and showed no significant difference between the two groups.

Conclusion: Over long-term, perichondrium reinforced palisade showed a statistically significant better outcome regarding graft uptake than temporalis fascia in type Itympanoplasty for large TM perforations with comparable audiometric results.