title: Anterior transcanal tympanoplasty: a novel technique to repair anterior perforations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report a novel, minimally invasive technique for anterior tympanic membrane (TM) perforation repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  A transcanal repair of the anterior TM was performed on 45 patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 689 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media underwent surgical intervention; of these, 45 patients with isolated anterior TM perforations underwent an anterior tympanoplasty. This approach is similar to a transcanal approach for small posterior perforations; an anterior rather than a posterior flap is raised.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Perforations ranged from 20 to 50 percent in size. Preoperative air-bone gaps ranged from 5 to 51 dB and averaged 25 dB. Postoperative air-bone gaps ranged from 0 to 33 dB and averaged 14 dB. Of 45 patients, 40 (88%) had closure of their perforations. Data from 1- to 10-year follow-up are provided.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The anterior transcanal tympanoplasty is a minimally invasive technique to repair anterior TM perforations. The procedure is simple and obviates the need for a large postauricular incision.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Henry Ford Health System, Bloomfield, MI 48322, USA. mseidma1@hfhs.org <mseidma1@hfhs.org>
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Seidman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018058:Tympanic Membrane Perforation / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014433:Tympanoplasty / Q000379:methods*