Risk Factors Leading to Failure in Myringoplasty: A Case-Control Study

Introduction and objectives: To determine the risk factors associated with myringoplasty failure among the study population, a case-control study was carried out in 2 tertiary hospital centers. Patients and method: Patients undergoing tympanic membrane perforation or atelectasis within 3 to 6 months following surgery were considered as cases, otherwise, they were considered to be controls. Patients having undergone any type of ossiculoplasty were excluded. Seventy cases and 210 controls were included, a sample size calculated for the following variables: inflammation at time of surgery, place and size of the tympanic membrane perforation, presence of tympanosclerosis, presence of cholesteatoma, and surgical technique. Odds ratio was calculated as main association measure, a stratified analysis was performed to rule out possible confusion factors. Results: No significant differences were found between the 2 groups respect to the variables for which the sample was calculated. Although in total group the addition of a modified radical mastoidectomy showed better operative results (95% CI OR = 0.13-0.72; P=. 002), in isolated tympanic membrane perforation this association it was loosed (95% CI OR = 0.06-7.44; P=. 81). Conclusions: Results in this study suggest that the variables for which the sample size was calculated are not associated with myringoplasty failure in this population.