Hyaluronic Acid Gel As An Outer Ear Canal Packing Following Tympanoplasty: A Randomized Controlled Study

Aim: In search of better alternative material than gelatin sponge dressing (GSD) traditionally used in the external ear canal after tympanoplasty, it's aimed to evaluate the use of new cross-linked hyaluronic acid gel (HYA) and compare it with GSD.Methods: This block-randomized controlled trial was performed in 50 patients who underwent tympanoplasty between April and December 2019. The patients were divided into two groups according to external ear filling material (HYA as study group n=25, GSD as control group n=25). The groups were compared in terms of edema, pain, graft morphology, epithelization, drainage parameters at postoperative 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th weeks. In addition, pure-tone audiometry and graft success were also evaluated.Results: After the first week, edema in HYA was significantly less than GSD (p=0.033). Reaching the 2nd week, less discharge was observed in HYA (p=0.007). Third week results showed edema in HYA was significantly less than that of GSD (p=0.023). In the 4th week, the postoperative gap gain in the HYA group was significantly higher than GSD (p=0.037). The difference in graft intake between groups was not significant (p=0.189).Conclusion: New cross-linked HYA gel may act as a promoter in the healing process after tympanoplasty and may have positive effects on hearing restoration.