The outcome of tympanic membrane grafting medial or lateral to malleus handle in type I underlay tympanoplasty

Aims: This study aims to study and compare the outcome of tympanic membrane grafting medial or lateral to handle of malleus in terms of graft uptake and closure of air bone gap. Materials and Methods: This prospective randomized study included 60 patients who presented in the ENT Outpatient Department of ABVIMS and Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia hospital with Inactive chronic Otitis media (COM) (tubo tympanic disease). Patients were randomly allocated to two groups of 30 patients each. Group A contained patients with graft placed medial to handle of malleus and Group B contained patients with graft placed lateral to handle of malleus. Patients were followed up at the 4th, 6th, and 12th week postoperatively for graft uptake and hearing gain were assessed. Results: There was significant mean hearing gain postoperatively compared to preoperative in pure tone audiometry, however, there is no significant difference in short-term outcomes of both the grafting techniques for graft uptake and audio metric results. Conclusion: Both medial and lateral placement of grafting material to malleus handle into type I underlay tympanoplasty are good methods for graft uptake and audiological outcome for inactive COM (Tubo tympanic disease).