The Clinical Application of Amniotic Membrane Transplantation in Surgery of the Ear

The human amniotic membrane (HAM) is a tissue of fetal origin and consists of a single epithelial layer, a thick basement membrane and an avascular mesenchyme. Due to their characteristics of being nonantigenic, adhering well to wounds, promoting epithelization and decreasing infection, HAMs have been widely used clinically for membranous allografts such as in the ophthalmologic and dermatologic fields. In surgery of the ear, HAMs were first used in radical mastoidectomies as a lining for the mastoid cavity. The hyperdry HAM, newly dried AM processed using far-infrared rays and microwaves, and then sterilized with gamma-ray irradiation, is a safe and easy-to-use biological material for a variety of clinical applications. This study investigates the usefulness of hyperdry HAM as a substitute for temporal fascia in otology.