Role of Tragal Cartilage in Tympanoplasty

Abstract

To determine the outcomes of using tragal cartilage in performing tympanoplasty. It was a prospective study of 57 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media. In all patients, pure tone audiometry was done pre-operatively. Tragal cartilage with attached perichondrium as graft material was used for ossicular chain reconstruction. In fifty out of the 57 participants, the outcome was intact ossicular chain. Of the 7 failures, 5 were recorded in the age group of 51–65 years, where graft uptake failed and hearing was not improved. Two of the failed cases required revision tympanoplasty. Post operative audiograms on follow-up revealed reduced air–bone gaps, with dry tympanic cavity and improved hearing. This study concluded that ossiculoplasty using tragal cartilage as a grafting material was an effective and safe surgical method for reconstruction of the ossicular chain and restoration of sound transmission.