A new patch material for tympanic membrane perforation by trauma: the membrane of a hen egg shell.

CONCLUSION

The egg shell membrane (ESM) patch may promote tympanic membrane (TM) healing in acute traumatic TM perforation.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the use of ESM for treating acute traumatic TM perforation.

METHODS

We reviewed charts of patients with traumatic TM injury from 2008 to 2011. Treatments were an ESM patch or a perforation edge approximation. We divided patients into two groups according to the treatment used. Each patient was matched by treatment onset and perforation size. We compared healing ratio, healing time, and frequency of otorrhea between the perforation edge approximation group and the ESM patch group. Matched t tests were used for analysis.

RESULTS

The healing ratio of the TM showed no significant difference between the two groups, but the time to heal was significantly shorter in the ESM patch group than in the perforation edge approximation group.