EFFECT OF PLATELET RICH PLASMA-ENRICHED GELFOAM ON CHRONIC TYMPANIC MEMBRANE PERFORATION

Abstract

Background: Tympanic Membrane (TM) perforation is one of the common reasons of patients’ attending Otolaryngology clinics. Repair of tympanic membrane perforations with most accepted techniques reaches a success rate of over 90%. Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) can be defined as an autologous concentration of human platelets in a small volume of plasma. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of PRP-enriched gel foam on the healing of chronic TM perforation in comparison with gel foam alone after myringoplasty. Patients and Methods: In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, 40 patients with chronic tympanic membrane perforations, attending the ENT outpatient clinics of Al-Azhar university hospitals between September, 2017 and May, 2019, they were randomly allocated to two groups; intervention group, underwent myringoplasty with platelet rich plasma (PRP)-enriched gel foams and control group, underwent myringoplasty operation with conventional gel foams alone. Patients were seen 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after surgery. Results: Forty patients, 21 males (52.5%) and 19 females (47.5%) with a mean age of 45.3 ± 11.9 years in intervention, and 43.98 ± 10.8 years in control group underwent analysis. Complete TM healing was seen in 19 (95%) patients in intervention group, and 14 (70%) patients in control group three months after intervention. No complications were seen in intervention group, while three otorrhea cases were recorded for control group in the first follow up after intervention which was resolved by medication. Conclusion: Addition of PRP to conventional gel foams used in TM perforation repair increased the complete healing rate of TM perforation to a significant extent.