Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the utility and effectiveness of dehydrated Human Amnion/Chorion Membrane (dHACM) in transcanal tympanoplasty.

Patients: A retrospective analysis of 14 patients (8 adults and 4 children) with stable tympanic membrane perforations for greater than 6 months.

Intervention: Transcanal tympanoplasty performed by a single surgeon utilizing a dHACM allograft.

Main outcome measures: Operative time, pain, graft success and audiologic improvement.

Results: At the 6 week post-operative visit a decrease in perforation size was noted in 8 patients (57.1%) and complete closure of the perforation occurred in 6 (42.9%). For patients without tympanosclerosis (n=10) complete closure was achieved in 5 patients (50%) and complete or partial success in 7 patients (70%). Mean air bone gap decreased from a pre-operative measurement of 23.0 ± 10.1 dB to 16.8 ± 7.4 dB at 6 weeks after tympanoplasty. The technique was well tolerated. Using the transcanal method and dehydrated amnion/chorion membrane allograft, the mean operative time was 13.3 ± 0.10 minutes.

Conclusions: Commercially available dHACM appears to be a safe, viable graft material for transcanal tympanoplasty.

Keywords: Allograft, Amniotic membrane, Tympanoplasty