Comparative Study Between Ring Cartilage and Temporalis Fascia Grafts in Tympanoplasty

Background: Tympanoplasty is a fundamental surgical intervention for reconstruction of a integrity of tympanic membrane. Despite advancements in grafting techniques, challenges persist that affect success rates and auditory improvement.Aim and objectives: To evaluate differences in graft integration and postoperative hearing performance between ring cartilage graft harvested from the ipsilateral tragal cartilage versus temporalis fascia grafts in tympanoplasty.Methodology: A randomized comparative prospective trial was performed on 40 patients aged between 14 and 43 years with dry ears for at least 3 months before surgery. Participants were divided into two equal cohorts: Group I received a ring cartilage graft, while Group II was treated with a temporalis fascia graft. Post-surgical assessments focused on graft integrity and hearing thresholds (measured via pure-tone audiometry and air-bone gap) at one and three months.Results: Baseline hearing status was statistically similar across two groups (p > 0.05). Postoperatively, the ring cartilage group had a higher uptake rate and greater degree of hearing recovery than the fascia group (p < 0.001).Conclusion: The Ring Cartilage graft achieved an overall take rate of 95%, which was higher than the 85% achieved by the Temporalis Fascia graft. Furthermore, hearing improvement was significantly associated with the use of the Ring Cartilage graft.