Comparison of the Functional and Audiological Success of Temporalis Fascia and Tragal Perichondrium as a Graft in Type 1 Tympanoplasty

Abstract

Context: Temporalis fascia and tragal perichondrium are the most commonly used graft materials in tympanoplasty, though contradictory reports are available in literature regarding their efficacy. Aims: To investigate the success rates and hearing outcomes of temporalis fascia and tragal perichondrium as grafts used for Type 1 tympanoplasty. Settings and Design: The present prospective study was carried out for a period of 18 months including 60 patients of either sex from 18 to 70 years of age. Subjects and Methods: This prospective study included 60 consecutive cases of chronic otitis media in a tertiary care center randomized in two groups of 30 patients each to be subjected to Type 1 tympanoplasty using either temporalis fascia graft (Group A) or tragal perichondrium (Group B). Graft uptake rates and subjective as well as objective hearing improvement at 1 and 3 months postoperative follow-up were compared. Statistical Analysis Used: IBM-compatible Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0. Results: The mean age of presentation in Group A was 31.30 years and in Group B was 30.67. In our study, the graft uptake after 3 months of surgery was 87% in the temporalis fascia graft group and 90% in the tragal perichondrium graft group. The mean pre- and postoperative PTA at 1 month and 3rd month postoperatively showed that there was significant improvement in hearing after 1 month in the temporalis fascia graft group compared to the tragal perichondrium graft group. Conclusions: Both temporalis fascia and tragal cartilage perichondrium are suitable graft materials for tympanoplasty. Graft uptake was superior with tragal perichondrium, while hearing improvement was better with temporalis fascia at 1 month postoperatively, although the results were not statistically significant at 3 months postoperative.