Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jn8rn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T12:54:43.812Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Average thickness of tragal cartilage for slicing techniques in tympanoplasty

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2015

M M Khan*
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Maharashtra Institute of Medical Education and Research Medical College, Pune, India
S R Parab
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Maharashtra Institute of Medical Education and Research Medical College, Pune, India
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Mubarak M Khan, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, MIMER Medical College, Pune 410507, India Fax: +91 2114 223916 E-mail: drmubarakkhan@yahoo.co.in

Abstract

Background:

Cartilage-perichondrial grafts are often used for tympanic membrane and middle-ear reconstructions. Tragal and conchal cartilages are most frequently used for this purpose. Studies have shown that slicing the cartilage to less than 0.5 mm thickness improves acoustic benefit. However, the thickness of the cartilage in a given population may not be uniform.

Objective:

This descriptive cross-sectional study aimed to determine the average thickness of tragal cartilage (in terms of age and sex) in an Indian population.

Method:

A prospective study of 61 tragal cartilages harvested during serial tympanoplasty and modified radical mastoidectomy were analysed according to thickness.

Results:

The total average thickness of tragal cartilage was 1.228 ± 0.204 mm in males and 1.090 ± 0.162 mm in females. The overall thickness was 1.018 ± 0.139 mm in those aged less than 15 years, 1.139 ± 0.238 mm in those aged 15–30, and 1.189 ± 0.155 mm in those aged over 30 years.

Conclusion:

The findings help us to determine age-related cartilage thickness for slicing techniques in tympanoplasty.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Dornhoffer, JL. Cartilage tympanoplasty. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 2006;39:1161–76CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2Zahnert, T, Huttenbrink, KB, Murbe, D, Bornitz, M. Experimental investigations of the use of cartilage in tympanic membrane reconstruction. Am J Otol 2000;21:322–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3Overbosch, HC. Homograft myringoplasty with micro-sliced septal cartilage. Pract Otorhinolaryngol (Basel) 1971;33:356–7Google ScholarPubMed
4Khan, MM, Parab, SR. Primary cartilage tympanoplasty: our technique and results. Am J Otolaryngol 2011;32:381–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5Hizalan, I, Dokuzlar, U, Kafa, IM, Sendemir, E. Morphological characteristics of tragal cartilage. Int Adv Otol 2010;6:16Google Scholar
6Ishida, LC, Pereira, MD, Andrews, JM. The tragus as a donor area of cartilage grafts: anatomic study [in Portuguese]. Rev Assoc Med Bras 1996;42:95–7Google ScholarPubMed