Regenerated middle ear mucosa after tympanoplasty. Part I. Transmission electron microscopy.

The ultrastructural appearance of the regenerated middle ear mucosa--found at the second operation of staged intact canal wall tympanoplasty (ICWT) with mastoidectomy--has been evaluated with the transmission electron microscope. The regenerated epithelium showed all the morphologic characteristics of the normal middle ear mucosa: ciliated cells, nonciliated cells, and secretory cells. All of these (including goblet cells) have been found in the specimens. It is concluded that a normal middle ear mucosa regenerates to cover all denuded bone surfaces after the first operation of staged ICWT with mastoidectomy, when silicone rubber sheeting has been used to prevent adhesions and maintain an air-containing middle ear space.