[Occlusive dressing--s potential treatment for tympanic membrane rupture?].

In a rat study, an occlusive double-layer transparent hydrocolloid dressing, Duo-DERM, was compared with a rice paper dressing in the treatment of tympanic membrane perforation. The Duo-DERM dressing manifested better healing properties, and the healed membrane was histologically similar to spontaneously healed membrane, being generally thin with moderate connective tissue thickening. If this dressing is found to have good healing properties in clinical trials, it would mean a great saving in health care resources. The method is simple, inexpensive, and gives immediate improvement in hearing.