Early paper patching versus observation in patients with traumatic eardrum perforations: comparisons of anatomical and functional outcomes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the outcomes of patients with acute tympanic membrane perforation after spontaneous healing and paper-patching procedure.

Methods design, setting, and participants: In this study, we performed a retrospective chart review with a prospective follow-up in 63 patients with tympanic membrane perforations. The patients undergoing a paper-patching procedure were assigned to group 1 (n = 33), whereas the patients that healed spontaneously were included in group 2 (n = 30). Retrospective analyses of the otoscopic examination findings and audiometric test results of the groups at the sixth-week follow-up were compared.

Results: Eardrum healing was achieved in 90.9% of the patients in group 1 and 76.7% of the patients in group 2 at the sixth week (P > 0.05). The mean values of air conduction were significantly improved, and the air-bone gap was markedly decreased in the patients treated with paper patching, when compared with the patients in group 2 (P < 0.001). The area of perforation was found to be inversely related to the healing success.

Conclusions: Early intervention by paper patching, which is a readily applicable procedure, may be offered to the patients with acute perforation of the tympanic membrane, because of the slightly better closure rates and significantly higher hearing functions when compared with simple observation.