title: Inlay tympanoplasty: cartilage butterfly technique.
abstract: For closure of a nonmarginal tympanic membrane perforation, currently popular techniques utilize either an underlay or an onlay approach. However, both procedures require incising canal skin. A transcanal inlay procedure could provide theoretical advantages of ease, speed, and comfort. Specifically designed cartilage that could facilitate the transcanal approach similar to placement of a solid tube was employed and evaluated. A transcanal cartilage butterfly inlay technique was found to be efficient and effective to close a subgroup of small-to-medium-sized tympanic membrane perforations including cases in which the condition of the tympanic membrane was somewhat hostile. Postoperative patient comfort was an additional benefit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston 02114, USA.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Eavey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002356:Cartilage / Q000637:transplantation*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous; D014433:Tympanoplasty / Q000379:methods*