Butterfly Cartilage Inlay Technique for Repairing Medium-to-Large-Sized Tympanic Membrane Perforations

Abstract

Objective: The butterfly cartilage inlay technique was originally developed for repairing small tympanic membrane (TM) perforations but is now increasingly used for repairing large TM perforations. Although studies have evaluated the effectiveness of butterfly tympanoplasty for repairing medium-to-large-sized TM perforations, no study has compared its effectiveness with that of the conventional underlay cartilage technique. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of butterfly tympanoplasty for repairing medium-to-large-sized TM perforations compared with that of the conventional underlay cartilage.

Study design: Retrospective chart review.

Setting: This retrospective study analyzed patients treated for medium-to-large-sized TM perforations at a tertiary medical center between January 2017 and July 2024.

Methods: We compared the outcomes of butterfly cartilage tympanoplasty with those of the conventional underlay technique, focusing on graft success rate, postoperative hearing outcomes, perioperative complications, and operating time. TM perforation sizes were precisely measured using the ImageJ software.

Results: Among a total of 52 patients, 28 underwent butterfly tympanoplasty and 24 underwent underlay tympanoplasty. Both techniques showed comparable graft success rates (butterfly technique, 92.9%; underlay technique, 83.3%) and minimal perioperative complications. The butterfly technique had a significantly shorter operating time compared with that of underlay tympanoplasty and was performed under local anesthesia. Both groups showed a significant postoperative air-bone gap (ABG) reduction, with no significant difference in the ABG improvement.

Conclusion: The butterfly technique is effective for medium-to-large-sized TM perforations, offering comparable outcomes to the conventional underlay technique, with the advantages of reduced operating time and the use of only local anesthesia.