COMPARISON OF AIR-BONE GAP POST MYRINGOPLASTY IN CARTILAGE VERSUS TEMPORALIS FASCIA GRAFT: A SINGLE CENTER COMPARATIVE STUDY

Abstract

Background: The myringoplasty using a cartilage graft is always considered to be rigid and stable. The temporalis fasia graft is considered to be thinner and elastic. Multiple ear conditions like a dysfunctional eustachian tube or a retraction pocket, may alter the results. The surgical procedure of Myringoplasty aims to reinstate the ear drum integrity and improving the functionality of the ear drum in terms of hearing improvement (air-bone gap).

Objectives: To compare the audiological and surgical results of cartilage versus temporalis fascia graft in myringoplasty.

Methods: A clinical trial at Jinnah Hospital involved 100 patients who had myringoplasty surgery to repair the tympanic membrane. Patients were chosen from the ENT Outpatient Department from June 2023 to May 2024. The patients were randomly split into two groups. One group (50 patients) used temporalis fascia grafts, while the other group (50 patients) used cartilage grafts.

Results: After surgery, the mean Air-Bone Gap (ABG) for group 1 and 2 is 10.82±2.86 dB and 9.48±2.54 dB, respectively. While after surgery, the mean Air Conduction (AC) for group 1 and 2 is 21.34±3.65 dB and 19.44±3.50 dB, respectively. Overall, there was 89% surgical success rate.

Conclusion: An analysis of the data revealed that there was a remarkably negligible and statistically insignificant difference observed, neither in the surgical success rate that was achieved nor in the extent of hearing gain that was realized between the two distinct groups that were being compared in this particular study.

Keywords: Temporalis Fascia, Cartilage, Myringoplasty.