Surgical outcome of tragal cartilage in myringoplasty – A prospective study

Background: Tympanoplasty refers to any operation involving reconstruction of the tympanic membrane and/or the ossicular chain. Myringoplasty is a Tympanoplasty without ossicular reconstruction. Chronic otitis media is one of the commonest Otological problems among Sudanese, in both adult and children (43%) and they presented with perforation of the eardrum and different degrees of hearing loss. Aim: To evaluate the audiological and surgical results of tragal cartilage graft in myringoplasty for reconstruction of tympanic membrane perforation. Materials and methods: A total of 25 patients in the age group of 16 - 60 years suffering from chronic suppurative otitis media of tubotympanic type, attending the outpatient department at Rajah Muthiah Medical College and hospital and underwent tragal cartilage myringoplasty between October 2015 to August 2017 were included in the study. Results: The mean preoperative pure tone average was 37 and the postoperative pure tone average was 25.80 at 6th week and 15.60 at 10th week. The calculated p-value was less than 0.001 which was statistically significant. Graft uptake was 92% in our study. There was no postoperative retraction. Postoperative reperforation was seen in 2 (8%) patients. Conclusion: Graft takeup in tragal cartilage myringoplasty has been excellent, hearing results are satisfactory and complications are minimal. Immobility of the transplant during the early stages of the healing process is the most important factor for the successful surgical outcome of myringoplasty.