The outcome of a single-stage endoscopic tympanoplasty with septoplasty using autologous septal cartilage graft in patients with mucosal chronic otitis media and deviated nasal septum

Background: Single-stage endoscopic tympanoplasty with septoplasty using autologous septal cartilage graft in patients with mucosal chronic otitis media and deviated nasal septum had resulted in successful repair of the tympanic membrane perforation and correction of the deviated nasal septum with improved eustachian tube dysfunction at the same time. Aims and Objectives: To study the structural and functional outcome of single-stage endoscopic Type 1 tympanoplasty using autologous septal cartilage graft after septoplasty in patients having mucosal chronic otitis media and deviated nasal septum. Material and Methods: We prospectively analysed 102 patients with chronic mucosal otitis media and central perforation of the tympanic membrane and deviated nasal septum with Eustachian tube dysfunction. The patients underwent endoscopic Type I tympanoplasty using an autologous septal cartilage graft with a thickness of approximately 0.5 mm that was harvested during endoscopic septoplasty. Morphological and functional results were recorded at 1, 6 and 12 month follow ups. Result: All patients were between years of age 31 to 40 years (31%). The average age of the study subject was 33.38 ± 12.63 years, with the male to female ratio of 1.31. Postoperatively the patients were looked for the acceptance of the cartilage graft and hearing gain. Of the total 102 patients, in 90 patients, eardrums perforations were closed satisfactorily, and 12 patients suffered from residual perforation (12%). On the functional front the mean pre-operative hearing loss of 40.98 ± 8.71 dB, improved significantly to 32 ± 9.06 dB postoperatively (P-value < 0.001). with a mean gain of 8.98 dB. Also, the mean pre-operative Air-Bone gap (27 ± 9.13 dB) was reduced postoperatively (13.82 ± 8.45 dB) (P-value < 0.001). Thus, improvement was noted to be 13.18 dB. Conclusion: Endoscopic cartilage tympanoplasty with autologous septal cartilage graft of the nose is a safe and effective way for Type I tympanoplasty with good structural and functional results and added benefits of reduced operating time, optimal graft uptake rate, minimal morbidity and pain and more importantly, ear surgery without a postauricular scar.