What is an Tympanoplasty?

Tympanoplasty is a surgical procedure to reconstruct the eardrum (tympanic membrane) and/or the small bones of the middle ear (ossicles) to restore or improve hearing. This surgery is typically performed to repair a perforated eardrum, chronic ear infections, or damage to the ossicles.

Types of Tympanoplasty

There are several types of tympanoplasty, depending on the extent of the repair needed:

1. Type I Tympanoplasty (Myringoplasty): Involves repairing the eardrum alone when the ossicles are intact.
2. Type II Tympanoplasty: Involves repairing the eardrum and the ossicles when the malleus (one of the ossicles) is eroded or missing.
3. Type III Tympanoplasty: Involves repairing the eardrum and the ossicles when the malleus and incus (another ossicle) are damaged.
4. Type IV Tympanoplasty: Involves repairing the eardrum and the stapes (another ossicle) when the stapes footplate is fixed.
5. Type V Tympanoplasty: Involves creating a new eardrum and addressing more complex ossicular chain issues.

Procedure

Tympanoplasty can be performed using different surgical techniques:

• Under Local or General Anesthesia: Depending on the patient’s age, health condition, and the complexity of the surgery.
• Postauricular Approach: Incision made behind the ear.
• Endaural Approach: Incision made within the ear canal.
• Grafting Material: The surgeon typically uses a graft to repair the eardrum, which can be taken from the patient’s own tissue (autograft), such as fascia (a layer of fibrous tissue), cartilage, or perichondrium (the connective tissue around the cartilage).

Benefits of Tympanoplasty