Comparison of transcanal endoscopic tympanoplasty with sterile acellular dermal allograft to conventional endaural microscopic tympanoplasty with tragal perichondrium.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to compare the outcome of endoscopic tympanoplasty with sterile acellular dermal allograft (ADA) and conventional endaural microscopic tympanoplasty with tragal perichondrium.

METHODS

This was a retrospective comparative study of 53 patients (25 males and 28 females) with tympanic membrane perforation who underwent type I tympanoplasty in the department of otorhinolaryngology at a tertiary medical center from March 2011 to April 2017. The subjects were classified into two groups; transcanal endoscopic tympanoplasty with ADA (TET, n=26), conventional endaural microscopic tympanoplasty with autologous tragal perichondrium (EMT, n=27). Demographic data, perforation size of tympanic membrane at preoperative state, pure tone audiometric results preoperatively and 3months postoperatively, operation time, sequential postoperative pain scale, and postoperative graft failure rate were evaluated.

RESULTS

The perforation size of the tympanic membrane in TET and EMT group was 22.3±10.9% and 23.5±9.7%, respectively (P=0.143). Mean operation time of EMT (92.3±16.5min) was longer than that of the TET (65.3±20.5min) with a statistical significance (P=0.004). Graft success rate in the TET and EMT group were 92.3% and 96.3%, respectively; the values were not significantly different (P=0.610). Pre- and postoperative audiometric results including bone and air conduction thresholds and air-bone gap were not significantly different between the groups. In all groups, the postoperative air-bone gap was significantly improved compared to the preoperative air-bone gap. Pain in the immediate postoperative and day 1 after surgery were significantly less in the TET group.

CONCLUSION

With human cadaveric ADA, minimal invasive endoscopic tympanoplasty can be achieved with similar postoperative results and less pain.