CLOSING SMALL PERFORATION OF DRUM

Many a times in our clinical practice, patients come with small tympanic membrane perforation 2-3 mm in size. In these patients surgery is not required and one can close the perforation by other techniques also. If the ear is dry, one can cauterize and raw the edges of the tympanic membrane by applying Trichol acetic acid (TCA). As the outer layer of drum which is epithelium and inner layer that is mucosa meet at the edges of perforation, it is necessary to break these adhesions which is done by applying TCA with an applicator.Then this is patched with a small piece of gelfoam which can be soaked in patient's blood or any antibiotic solution.The process has to be repeated many times at regular intervals till the perforation gets healed up.