The outcomes of endoscopic myringoplasty: packing with gelatin sponge versus packing with nothing

Background: Packing with gelatin sponge has long been widely used in myringoplasty. However, there is no research on packing with nothing.Aims/objectives: To analyse the differences between packing with gelatin sponge and packing with nothing.Material and methods: Patients with tympanic membrane perforation were randomly divided into a packing with gelatin sponge group and a packing with nothing group. Differences between the groups were compared.Results: The operation time of group A (34.00 ± 1.05 min) was significantly shorter than that of group B (42.20 ± 1.40 min; p < .00); 1 patient (2.86%) in group A and 35 patients (100%) in group B had a dry ear time of longer than 1 week (p < .001). Ten patients (28.57%) in group A and 24 patients (68.57%) in group B had aural fullness after the operation (p < .001). The air-bone gap (ABG) in group A was smaller than that in group B at 1 week, 1 month, 2 months and 3 months after the operation (p < .05).Conclusion and significance: Group A achieved the same good results, but it had a short operation time, an early dry ear time, a low incidence of aural fullness and early recovery of hearing.