OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy of cartilage tympanoplasty in the treatment of adhesive otitis media.

METHODSFrom June to October, 2008, 18 patients with adhesive otitis media (18 ears) were treated with tragus cartilage tympanoplasty. The air-bone gap changes and the self-perceived symptomatic improvement were evaluated at 1 month and 1 year after the operation.

RESULTSAll the patients showed dry ear within 6 weeks after the operation. Tympanic membrane healing was achieved in 17 cases, and 1 case presented with a inferior-anterior fissure in the tympanic membrane. With the average preoperative air-bone gap (at 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 kHz) of 44.65 dB, the patients showed an obvious decrease of the air-bone gap by over 10 dB at 1 month after the operation and by over 25 dB at one year. Symptomatic improvements were achieved in these cases, including alleviated ear discomforts (3/15 cases), total tinnitus relief (1/11 cases), and alleviated tinnitus (10/11 cases). High-frequency tinnitus was noted in 1 case (1/7 cases), and the tympanic membrane appeared normal in 17 cases.

CONCLUSIONTympanic membrane reconstruction using the tragus cartilage can be feasible for treatment of secretory otitis media, but the surgical indications should be carefully controlled.