Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Combined With Atelocollagen for Closing Chronic Tympanic Membrane Perforations in 87 Patients

Objective: To present the clinical results of closing chronic tympanic membrane (TM) perforations using basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) combined with an atelocollagen/silicone bilayer membrane patch. Study Design: Closure of TM perforations in 87 patients was attempted using bFGF, which is thought to promote the regeneration of TM tissues by facilitating the growth of fibroblasts and collagen fibers. Methods: Under an operating microscope, the margin of the perforation was trimmed, and a piece of an atelocollagen/silicone bilayer membrane was placed in the perforation with the silicon layer facing outward and then infiltrated with 0.1 ml of trafermin. Data obtained from patient records included patient age, perforation size, and duration of treatment, with a focus on hearing improvement and complete TM closure. Results: The mean perforation size before treatment was 14.4%. Complete closure of the TM perforation was achieved in 80 patients (92.0%), whereas pinholes remained in 5 patients (8.7%), and small perforations were observed in 2 patients (2.3%). In the patients with complete closure, the TM perforations closed after an average 1.8 treatments, and hearing improved by 13.6 dB. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that bFGF combined with atelocollagen is effective for the conservative treatment of TM perforation.