EVALUATION OF GRAFT UPTAKE IN TYPE 1 TYMPANOPLASTY WITH DRY AND WET TEMPORALIS FASCIA GRAFT

BACKGROUND Objective - To compare the uptake of graft in type 1 tympanoplasty done using dry and wet temporalis fascia in patients attending Department of ENT Govt. Medical College Kottayam during a period of 1 year. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was conducted in 60 patients who underwent type 1 tympanoplasty from 1st May 2014 to 30th April 2015. The patients were grouped into two with 30 cases in each. In Group 1, dry temporalis fascia was used as graft material and in Group 2 wet temporalis fascia was used. Post- aural or transcanal approach with underlay grafting of temporalis fascia was done in all cases. Alternative cases were grouped into dry temporalis fascia and wet temporalis fascia graft group. All patients were followed up 2 weeks and 6 weeks after the surgery and were evaluated for graft uptake. Successful graft uptake was defined as having no perforation, retraction or lateralisation of tympanic membrane graft as assessed by otoscope. RESULTS There was 73.33% graft uptake rate in group 1 (dry group) as compared to 63.33% in group 2 (wet group). The difference was not statistically significant. There is significant relationship between success rate of tympanoplasty and age of the patient, size and site of perforation, middle ear mucosal status and Eustachian tube function. Graft uptake was least for those with >40 years of age. Graft uptake rate decreased with increasing size of perforation and poor Eustachian tube function. Graft was failure in all cases with oedematous middle ear mucosa. CONCLUSION Graft uptake was superior when using dry temporalis fascia graft. There was 73.33% graft uptake rate in group 1 (dry temporalis fascia graft) compared to 63.33% in group 2 (wet temporalis fascia graft).