Myringoplasty: is molded collagen xenograft a valid alternative for fresh temporalis fascia?

Seventy four simple myringoplasties, 53 with xenograft and 21 with fresh temporalis fascia were reviewed. Closure rate for all cases was 90.5%. There were 3 surgical failures in xenografts and none in the fascia graft. Fifty two myringoplasties, 37 using xenograft and 15 using fascia graft, had a mean follow-up of 20 months and late perforations were seen in 4 of these cases. Three of the late reperforations occurred in xenografts, one in the fascia graft. Postoperative air bone gap was within 15 dB in 83.3% of the xenografts and in 66.7% of the fascia grafts. Recurring bouts of granular myringitis after 6 months were seen in 4 xenografts and in one fascia graft. Based on these results xenograft can be considered as an alternative for fresh fascia in easy to reach perforations operated "in speculo" when there is no need for an external incision.