A Comparison of Cartilage Palisades and Temporal Fascia in Type 1 Tympanoplasty for Bilateral Tympanic Membrane Perforations in Children.

OBJECTIVE To compare the graft success rates and audiological outcomes of bilaterally performed type 1 tympanoplasty using cartilage palisades or temporal fascia in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients who underwent type 1 tympanoplasty at Medical Park Hospital between May 2007 and February 2013. 27 patients (54 ears) were enrolled in the study: 15 (30 ears) in the palisade cartilage group and 12 (24 ears) in the fascia group. RESULTS The graft success rate for the fascia group was 79.2%, and that for the cartilage group was 96.7%. The difference was statistically insignificant (p=0.078). Audiological improvements were seen in both groups, and the difference was statistically insignificant. CONCLUSION The use of temporalis fascia grafting has similar outcomes to palisade cartilage tympanoplasty for both success rate and audiological values in children who have bilateral disease.