title: Primary cartilage tympanoplasty: our technique and results.
abstract: Cartilage has shown to be a promising graft material to close tympanic membrane perforations. However, due to its rigid quality, doubts are raised regarding its sound conduction properties. It has been suggested that acoustic benefit may be obtained by thinning the cartilage. We describe our innovative method for harvesting tragal cartilage from the same endaural incision and also describe preparation of the graft by slicing it. We present our 3-year experience of shield cartilage type 1 tympanoplasty using sliced tragal cartilage-perichondrium composite graft.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to prove the success rate of our technique of shield cartilage tympanoplasty using sliced tragal cartilage graft in terms of functional and anatomic results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of type 1 cartilage tympanoplasties using sliced tragal cartilage was carried out in MIMER Medical College and Sushrut ENT Hospital during May 2005 to January 2008 with a minimum follow-up of 2 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 223 ears were operated by our technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall success rate of our technique was 98.20% in terms of perforation closure and air bone gap closure within 7.06 ± 3.39 dB. The success rates in the various age group are as follows: 11 to 20 years, 97.67%; 21 to 40 years, 99.12%; and 41 to 60 years, 96.96%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our technique of type 1 cartilage tympanoplasty achieves good anatomic and functional results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, MIMER Medical College, Pune, India. drmubarakkhan@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: Mubarak M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.forename: Sapna R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Parab
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001299:Audiometry; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004425:Ear Cartilage / Q000637:transplantation*; D004724:Endoscopy; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006309:Hearing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010035:Otitis Media, Suppurative / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D038781:Otoscopy / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014433:Tympanoplasty / Q000295:instrumentation*; D055815:Young Adult