Abstract
To evaluate anatomic/functional results of inlay butterfly cartilage tympanoplasty and compare those with the results of over-underlay perichondrium-cartilage island or temporalis fascia tympanoplasties. Patients who operated for primary type 1 tympanoplasty (n = 78) with inlay butterfly cartilage (n = 25), over-underlay perichondrium-cartilage island (n = 36) or over-underlay temporalis fascia (n = 17) graft from January 2005 to January 2015 were included in the study. Age, gender, pre-/postoperative otoscopy findings/audiograms, and follow-up time were obtained from the patient's file. Anatomic integrity rates of the tympanic membrane, the mean gains of air bone gap on pure tone audiogram at four frequencies (0.5, 1, 2, 4 kHz) and complications were reviewed parameters. Functional evaluation was made in patients with intact tympanic membrane. Anatomic integrity rates of the tympanic membrane was 92.00% for inlay butterfly cartilage tympanoplasty, 91.67% over-underlay perichondrium cartilage island tympanoplasty and 88.2% over-underlay fascia tympanoplasty. The mean gains of air bone gap on pure tone audiogram for the inlay butterfly cartilage, over-underlay perichondrium cartilage island and over-underlay fascia graft group were 11.28, 12.84 and 12.66 dB respectively. Inlay butterfly cartilage tympanoplasty is a reliable and simple technique with satisfactory outcomes in selected cases. The anatomic and functional results after inlay butterfly cartilage tympanoplasty are parallel to the results of over-underlay perichondrium-cartilage island or temporalis fascia tympanoplasties.