The use of tragus cartilage to close tympanic membrane (TM) perforations with transcanal approach was first described by Eavey in 1998 with excellent results for graft "take-rate" and with advantages such as technique ease, rapidity and postoperative patient comfort. AIM: To evaluate the inlay tragus cartilage miringoplasty results in patients underwent this technique at Clinical Hospital of Medicine School of São Paulo University of Ribeirão Preto - Department of Otolaringology during the last three years. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical prospective. MATERIAL AND METHOD: For this study we used 32 surgeries performed at Clinical Hospital of Ribeirão Preto - Department of Otolaringology from 2000 to 2003 in patients with chronic otitis media and tympanic membrane perforations size at the most 5mm of diameter without counterindications to perform the transcanal approach. RESULTS: Closure of tympanic membrane was achieved in 28 of 32 surgeries performed, with 87.5% of success. DISCUSSION: This study maintained a high rate of success to close tympanic membrane perforations by the Eavey technique principles described in other studies, despite of some modifications from the original technique. CONCLUSION: The tragus cartilage inlay miringoplasty with cartilage resembling butterfly wings has a high rate of success to close tympanic membrane perforations with 5 mm diameter at the most in cases of chronic otitis media with healthy middle ear. It gives more patient comfort with less morbidity.
tragus cartilage; miringoplasty; graft
