title: Regenerative treatment for soft tissue defects of the external auditory meatus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish a regenerative treatment for soft tissue defects of the external auditory meatus (EAM) without conventional surgical therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Controlled clinical pilot study.
  
  
  METHODS
  General hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-five patients with new or old EAM defects without active inflammation were selected. Ages ranged from 12 to 87 years (average age of 58 yr).
  
  
  METHODS
  Therapeutic nonsurgical treatment of EAM defects. Gelatin sponge, basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF), fibrin glue, and water proof transparent dressing were used in the repair procedure. Patients were divided into 2 groups: treatment with (n = 54) and without (n = 11) b-FGF. After mechanically disrupting the edge of the EAM defect, gelatin sponge immersed in b-FGF was placed over the defect and covered with fibrin glue. In cases of extensive EAM defects, the EAM was filled with gelatin sponge/b-FGF, and the auricle was wrapped in water proof dressing. Two or 3 weeks postprocedure, crust over the defect was removed. If complete defect closure was not achieved after 1 treatment course, the treatment was repeated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Evaluation of complete closure of EAM defects 3 months posttreatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete closure of the EAM defect was achieved within 3 treatment courses in 92.6% (50/54) and 18.2% (2/11) of the patients with or without b-FGF, respectively. No inflammation/infection or severe sequelae were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated the effectiveness of combining gelatin sponge, b-FGF, and fibrin glue for EAM defect regeneration. This innovative regenerative therapy is an easy, simple, cost-effective and minimally invasive method for treating EAM defects.
authors: *Department of Otolaryngology, The Foundation for Biomedical Research and Innovation, Kobe; †Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Medical Research Institute, Kitano Hospital, Osaka; ‡Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shizuoka General Hospital, Shiozuoka; §Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University; and ∥Department of Bioartificial Organs, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors: Shin-ichi
authors: S
authors: Kanemaru
authors: Hiroo
authors: H
authors: Umeda
authors: Rie
authors: R
authors: Kanai
authors: Takuya
authors: T
authors: Tsuji
authors: Fumiko
authors: F
authors: Kuboshima
authors: Misaki
authors: M
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Shigeru
authors: S
authors: Hirano
authors: Tatsuo
authors: T
authors: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005780:Gelatin; D048091:Guided Tissue Regeneration / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012038:Regeneration / Q000502:physiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015718:Fibrin Tissue Adhesive; D016222:Fibroblast Growth Factor 2; D005780:Gelatin