Fibrin Glue Enhances Early Hearing Recovery in Tympanoplasty: A Randomised Controlled Trial Publisher Pubmed



Rahmaty B ; Asgari S ; Sayyadi M ; Kouhi A ; Golparavaran S ; Aalizade A ; Ashtiani MTK ; Aghazadeh K
Source: American Journal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Medicine and Surgery Published:2026

Abstract

Objective: To compare the efficacy of fibrin glue versus Gelfoam in cartilage tympanoplasty, focusing on graft uptake rates and short-term hearing outcomes. Methods: In this double-blind, randomised clinical trial, forty-six patients with dry tympanic membrane perforations were randomly allocated to two groups: fibrin glue with cartilage graft (Group A) and Gelfoam with cartilage graft (Group B). A single surgeon carried out all surgeries. Graft integrity and air–bone gap (ABG) closure (≤15 dB) were evaluated three months post-surgery. Results: Graft uptake rates were 91.3% in the fibrin group and 82.6% in the Gelfoam group (p > 0.05). However, ABG closure ≤15 dB was achieved in 87% of the fibrin group compared to 60.9% of the Gelfoam group (p = 0.044), indicating a significant improvement in early hearing outcomes. Conclusion: Fibrin glue tympanoplasty achieved comparable graft uptake rates to conventional Gelfoam tympanoplasty, while providing superior short-term hearing improvement. Both techniques demonstrated comparable graft integration, while fibrin glue was associated with superior early hearing recovery. © 2026