Over-Underlay technique of myringoplasty.

Abstract

Objective: To observe the success rate of Over-underlay technique of myringoplasty in patients with inactive tubo-tympanic type of CSOM. Study Design: Descriptive, Observational study. Setting: ENT Department Fauji Foundation Hospital Rawalpindi. Period: December 2018 to December 2019. Material & Methods: A total of 80 patients with inactive tubo-tympanic type of CSOM, from both genders, within age range of 15-45 years, having pure conductive hearing loss with an Air-Bone gap of not less than 15 dB were selected by convenient sampling technique. Patients having an active ear disease or previous history of ear surgery, an active sinus or URT disease, or any comorbidity were excluded from the study. Complete general and head-neck examination was done after taking history. Patients’ affected ears were examined under surgical microscope to see the drum perforation, condition of middle ear mucosa and the status of the ossicles. Hearing assessment was done by Pure Tone Audiometry through both air and bone conduction. Temporalis fascia graft myringoplasty was done in all these patients by over-underlay technique, and they were discharged on 5^th post-operative day, and were followed up in ENT OPD after 3 weeks. Status of graft was seen under surgical microscope after removing the BIPP. After three months the patients were reviewed for graft status and hearing assessment. Successful outcome was taken as those patients in whom graft uptake was successful with complete closure of perforation, and secondly, closure of the Air-Bone gap by at least 10 dB. Data was analyzed by SPSS 19. Results: Mean age of the patients (n = 80) was found to be 30.8 Years. Gender distribution showed 57 (71.25%) Males and 23 (28.75%) Females with a M:F ratio of 2.5:1. Success rate was found significantly better among younger aged males. Graft uptake was successful in 74 (92.5%) of the patients. With respect to closure of A-B gap, post-operative mean difference in Air-Bone gap was found to be 9.6 dB ± 3.9 SD as compared to preoperative mean A-B gap of 28.5 dB ± 4.2 SD, thus a closure of A-B gap by 18.9 dB ± 2.4 SD. Conclusion: Over-underlay technique is found to be a successful technique for myringoplasty in terms of graft uptake and improvement in hearing thresholds in the patients with inactive tubo-tympanic type of CSOM.