title: [Application of the tragus cartilage in the tympanoplasty].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the application of the tragus cartilage in tympanoplasty.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight patients with tympanoplasty carried out tragus cartilage-perichondrium repairing tympanic membrane. The air-bone gap changes and the recovery of patients'tympanic membrane were evaluated at pre-operative and two months after the operation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one patients finishing follow-up visit showed tympanic membrane healed and looked like normal appearance in 1 to 3 months after the operation. The postoperation narrow of the air-bone gap >18 dB, tragus looked normal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tympanic membrane reconstruction using the tragus cartilage-perichondrium is feasible for tympanoplasty, and the survival rate and postoperative hearing would be acceptable.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Xudong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D002356:Cartilage / Q000637:transplantation*; D054644:Ear Auricle; D006309:Hearing; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D011184:Postoperative Period; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D014432:Tympanic Membrane; D018058:Tympanic Membrane Perforation; D014433:Tympanoplasty / Q000379:methods*