Cartilage tympanoplasty methods: Proposal of a classification

Abstract

The 23 known cartilage tympanoplasty methods to reconstruct the eardrum are classified in six main groups. Each method is briefly defined, described, and illustrated: Cartilage tympanoplasty with palisades, stripes, and slices. The eardrum is reconstructed by several, various, full-thickness pieces of cartilage with attached perichondrium on the ear canal side. In this group six different methods are described. Cartilage tympanoplasty with foils, thin plates, and thick plates, not covered with the perichondrium. In this group four methods are included. GROUP C: Tympanoplasty with cartilage-perichondrium composite island grafts. The perichondrium flap suspends or fixates the cartilage. In this group four methods are included. GROUP D: Tympanoplasty with special total pars tensa cartilage-perichondrium composite grafts. All three methods are used to close a total perforation, but differ from each. Three special methods are included in this group. GROUP E: Cartilage-perichondrium composite island grafts tympanoplasty for anterior, inferior, and subtotal perforations. Two on-lay and two underlay methods are included.GROUP F: Special cartilage tympanoplasty methods: The cartilage disc is placed under the perforation, the perichondrium onto the denuded eardrum remnant.