Comparison of temporal muscle fascia and cartilage grafts in pediatric tympanoplasties

ObjectiveTo compare anatomic and functional outcomes of the different graft materials used in pediatric tympanoplasty.Materials and methodsThe patients younger than 18 years of age and who had tympanoplasty between 2010 and 2012 were included in the study. Temporal muscle fascia or cartilage was used as the graft material. The age, gender, the side of the operated ear, the operation technique, pre- and postoperative audiological results, and the status of the graft were noted. An intact graft and an air-bone gap (ABG) ≤ 20 were regarded as surgical success in the postoperative period. Audiograms obtained before surgery and 1 year after surgery were used for the comparison.ResultsSixty pediatric cases were included in the study. Fascia graft was used as the graft material in 35 of them, and cartilage was used in 25 patients. The graft success rate was 82.9% in the fascia group while it was 92% in the cartilage group. In the fascia group preoperative ABG was 28.2 ± 10.1 dB, postoperative ABG was 15.1 ± 10.2 dB, and postoperative gain was 13.1 ± 9.6 dB. In the cartilage group, preoperative ABG was 28.9 ± 10.2 dB, and postoperative ABG was 16.8 ± 10.3 dB with a postoperative gain of 12.1 ± 6.8 dB. The differences between the fascia and the cartilage groups were not statistically significant either for hearing gain or graft success rate.ConclusionCartilage and fascia grafts yield similar results for hearing gain and graft success rate in pediatric tympanoplasty.