Tympanosclerosis in the tympanic membrane: influence on outcome of myringoplasty.

The effect of the presence of tympanosclerotic plaques in tympanic membrane on the outcome of a myringoplasty procedure was evaluated in this retrospective study. Long-term results of 714 myringoplasties were analyzed, and of these, 555 were eligible for further study. Three groups were studied separately: ears without tympanosclerosis, ears with a plaque not exceeding one third of the tympanic membrane surface area, and ears with a plaque involving more than one third of the surface area extending to the border of the perforation. The latter group was subdivided into one in which during the operation the plaque was removed and one in which it was left in place. Take rate percentages as well as postoperative hearing results were calculated for each separate group of ears. Concerning graft take rate, it is concluded that the presence of tympanosclerosis in the tympanic membrane played no substantial part in the long-term outcome. With regard to postoperative hearing results, however, this study shows an average hearing gain of 6 dB when plaques exceeding one third of the tympanic membrane surface area were removed as part of the myringoplasty procedure.