title: [Combined reconstruction of tympanic membrane and posterior wall of external ear canal with cartilage].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the reconstruction technique of tympanic membrane and posterior wall of external ear canal with auricular cartilage at same time.
  
  
  METHODS
  The tympanic membrane and posterior wall of external ear canal of 43 cases of chronic suppurative otitis media were reconstructed with auricular cartilage after mastoidectomy between 1995-2000. The results were compared with that of without reconstruction of the posterior wall of external canal group of 60 ears in same period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average follow-up period was 32 months, 3 cases were faced in all of 43 cases, the others were healed in one stage. Postoperative period to be a dry ear was significantly shorter in the reconstruction group than in the canal-wall-down and open group (t-test, t = 3.98, < 0.01). The rezidive results is statistic not significant between this two groups. The patients of both groups have had good hearing results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The auricular cartilage is a good material for the reconstruction of tympanic membrane and posterior wall of the external auditory canal. It can not only reduce the time of drying ear, improve the hearing results, but also avoid the second operation. The quality of the patients life can be improved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Center Hospital of Zhoukou City, Zhou kou 466000.
authors.forename: Jijun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Lisheng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000601:surgery*; D004425:Ear Cartilage / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000601:surgery*; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D014433:Tympanoplasty