Composite autograft "shield" reconstruction of remnant tympanic membranes.

The authors present their combined experience with large cartilage-perichondrial composite grafts used to reconstruct total tympanic membrane perforations in 294 ears. Patients chosen for this procedure had failed earlier tympanoplasty surgery or were identified as poor candidates for conventional facial tympanoplasty because of the perforation size. Successful perforation closure was achieved in 97% of ears with chronic otitis media characterized by absence of the tympanic membrane, including portions of the anterior annular ligament. Hearing results in general were good, considering the advanced stage of the disease, which required the use of alloplastic ossicular prostheses (PORP and TORP) in 76% of ears. Hearing improvement was maximal at 2000 Hz regardless of the method of ossicular reconstruction. Closure of the air-bone gap at this frequency to within 10 dB was achieved in 87% of type I tympanoplasties, 73% of type III (PORP), and 70% of type III (TORP) tympanoplasties. Although cartilage autografts have also been promoted to reverse tympanic membrane atelectasis, the authors believe that the above preoperative conditions are strong indications for this grafting technique, which is described in detail.