A comparative study of microscopic myringoplasty and endoscopic myringoplasty in patients with mucosal type of chronic otitis media

Abstract

Background: Conventionally, over the decades, myringoplasty had been done using an operating microscope. Earlier endoscopes were used mainly for diagnostic and documentation purposes only. Currently, they are becoming popular in otological surgeries. Hence, this study aims to compare the outcome of endoscopic myringoplasty and microscopic myringoplasty in patients with inactive mucosal type of chronic otitis media (COM). Methods: This is a prospective comparative study done in a rural tertiary health-care (NRI Medical College and General Hospital) center from March 2016 to March 2018 after obtaining clearance from the Institutional Human Ethics Committee. Eighty patients underwent myringoplasty; they were block randomized into forty each for microscope and endoscope assisted. The results of surgery were compared at the end of 6 months postsurgery. Results: The hearing gain between the two study groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.36). The average duration in microscopic myringoplasty was 82.25 ± 10.8 min and in endoscopic myringoplasty was 56.43 ± 8.6 min, and this difference was statistically significant (P = 0.00). The graft success rate in both the groups was the same. The postoperative complications in both groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.49). Conclusions: Endoscopic myringoplasty is more advantageous than microscopic myringoplasty in terms of duration of surgery, cost of the instrument, and better magnification. As it is a one-hand-held technique and requires experience, microscopic myringoplasty is still the most-accepted procedure performed. Hence, both microscopic myringoplasty and endoscopic myringoplasty are equally effective in the treatment of COM.