Cartilage Versus Temporalis Fascia Graft in Tympanoplasty for Recurrent Tympanic Membrane

The main aim of successful tympanoplasty is to create a well aerated closed cavity after total removal of the disease. Numerous types of grafting materials have been used for closure of the tympanic membrane including fascia, periosteum, perichondrium, cartilage, vein, skin, and fat tissue . Autografts are thought to be the most compatible grafting materials with the best surgical results in tympanoplasty Temporal muscle fascia is composed of irregularly arranged elastic fibers and fibrous connective tissue. For this reason postoperative dimensions of temporal muscle fascia are unpredictable.

Cartilage has a constant shape, firmer than fascia and also lack fibrous tissue, so that postoperative dimensions remains the same and beside this, it is also nourished by diffusion and show great adaptation with TM . These advantages make the cartilage graft more preferable by otologists recently.

the use of cartilage graft in many different ways such as perichondrium cartilage island technique, palisade technique or cartilage reinforcement technique