Equine versus bovine pericardium in transmeatal underlay myringoplasty.

OBJECTIVES: Many different grafting materials have been proposed in myringoplasty. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results obtained in transmeatal underlay myringoplasty using bovine and equine pericardium. The results were compared with those obtained by using autologous temporalis fascia. METHODS: The study group consisted of 52 patients with tympanic perforation. Twenty-nine patients were randomly selected for treatment with bovine pericardium and 23 for equine pericardium. A group of 14 patients was treated with autologous temporalis fascia. RESULTS: Closure of the perforation was achieved in 19 of 29 patients (66%) treated with bovine pericardium, in 19 of 23 (83%) treated with equine pericardium, and in 13 of 14 (93%) treated with autologous fascia. The best functional results in patients who gained closure of the perforation were obtained by means of equine pericardium. CONCLUSIONS: The overall long-term tympanic closure rate demonstrates that equine pericardium has a greater take rate than bovine pericardium. The results obtained are inferior to those obtained with autologous fascia, but this technique is less aggressive. The higher success rate with equine pericardium may be due to the fact that it is thinner and easier to handle and model than bovine pericardium