A Comparative Evaluation of Audiological and Graft Uptake Results of Reinforced Sliced Conchal Cartilage Versus Temporalis Muscle Fascia Graft In Type I Tympanoplasty

Aim: The present study aims to evaluate graft uptake rates and audiological results of type I tympanoplasty using sliced conchal cartilage reinforced with temporalis muscle fascia versus temporalis muscle fascia graft. Material & Methods: A retrospective study involving a total of 40 patients presenting with dry central perforation with intact and mobile ossicular chain and conductive type of hearing loss, visiting ENT outpatient department of Government Medical College, Amritsar were included in the study. These were randomly divided into two groups of twenty patients each with Group I patients undergoing Type I tympanoplasty with temporalis muscle fascia and Group II patients with sliced conchal cartilage as graft reinforced with temporalis fascia. A pure-tone audiometry was done within 1 week prior to surgery and at 3 months postoperatively to evaluate hearing status. Results: Graft take up rate in Group I was 85% while Group II patients had a take up rate of 95% (P < 0.01). The mean percentage improvement in pre-op pure tone average (PTA) and post-op PTA values in Group I and II was 14.91 (SD ± 9.741) and 14.48 (SD ± 9.366) respectively (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Sliced conchal cartilage reinforced with temporalis fascia is a reliable technique for tympanoplasty, especially in large perforations with better graft uptake rates compared to temporalis fascia without affecting audiometric results.