TYMPANOSCLEROSIS IN THE TYMPANIC MEMBRANE - INFLUENCE ON OUTCOME OF MYRINGOPLASTY

The effect of the presence of tympanosclerotic plaques in the tympanic membrane on the outcome of a myringoplasty procedure was evaluated in this retrospective study. Long-term results of 714 myringoplasties we re analyzed, and of these, 555 were eligible for further study. Three groups were studied separately:ears without tympanosclerosis, ears wit h a plaque not exceeding one third of the tympanic membrane surface ar ea, and ears with a plaque involving more than one third of the surfac e area extending to the border of the perforation. The latter group wa s subdivided into one in which during the operation the plaque was rem oved and one in which it was left in place. Take rate percentages as w ell as postoperative hearing results were calculated for each separate group of ears. Concerning graft take rate, it is concluded that the p resence of tympanosclerosis in the tympanic membrane played no substan tial part in the long-term outcome. With regard to postoperative heari ng results, however, this study shows an average hearing gain of 6 dB when plaques exceeding one third of the tympanic membrane surface area were removed as part of the myringoplasty procedure.