COMPARISON OF THE REPAIR OF PERMANENT TYMPANIC MEMBRANE PERFORATIONS BY HYDROCOLLOIDAL DRESSING AND PAPER PATCH

Thirty consecutive patients with permanent perforations of their tympa nic membranes (TM) present from 2.5 to 50 years (mean 18.7 years) were admitted to a prospective study using two alternative methods of dres sings for closure of the perforations. An adhesive-coated hydrocolloid material was compared with a conventional dressing of vaseline impreg nated rice paper patch after de-epithelialization of the perforation b order. Nine of the permanent TM perforations (30 per cent), five with the hydrocolloidal dressing and four with the rice paper patch had hea led when followed-up after one year. The size of eight of the central perforations that had healed was equal to or less than 25 per cent of the TM. Also one perforation with a size of 65 per cent had healed. Se ven perforations were located in the posterior part of the TM: four in the posterior-superior quadrant, one in the inferior quadrant, one ha d engulfed the posterior half of the TM and one included the anterior- inferior quadrant. Only two perforations out of 14, with a size of 25 per cent or less, located in the anterior-inferior quadrant, healed. N o significant difference was demonstrated between the two types of dre ssings. Both groups noted an immediate improvement in hearing of 10.8 and 9.3 dB, respectively, after application of the dressing. The study demonstrates that application of an occlusive dressing or paper patch in 30 per cent of patients can promote the healing of long-standing p erforations. The chances for healing are better if the perforation is located in the posterior part of the TM. This simple technique immedia tely improved hearing and should be tried before a patient is referred for myringoplasty surgery.