Mitomycin C-associated radiofrequency microelectrocautery used in myringotomy in an animal model

This study aimed at describing an alternative surgical technique to the insertion of a ventilation tube in the tympanic membrane: myringotomy by radiofrequency alone and associated with mytomicin C. AIM: to show a surgical approach that can be simple to execute, not subject to complications arising from the ventilation tube. MATERIALS AND METHODS: we compared myringotomy by microknife and by radiofrequency microcautery (0.3 mm and 0.7 mm tips) alone and associated with mytomicin C, considering the time of tympanic closure in Wistar rats. Experimental study. RESULTS: there was a statistically significant difference between radiofrequency myringotomy and knife myringotomy. As we analyze the radiofrequency approach with the 0.7mm tip associated with mytomicin C (Wilcoxon test), the p value found was lower than 0.001, showing a statistical significance. The maximum tympanic membrane closure time was 44 days and the median found was 14 days. CONCLUSION: the radiofrequency myringotomy (with the larger diameter tip) associated with mytomicin C enhances the tympanic membrane healing time.