During the past 20 years since the beginning of the tympanoplasty, the skin which has been used as a graft for the ear drum has not proven to be best since even after the surgery for the perforation (10-32%) of the ear drum was revealed. In addition to the drum perforation, there are many other defects noticed. There are many graft materials available such as vein, corium, retina, periostium, and fascia etc. Since 1959, tragal cartilage has been used successfully as a graft tissue by Prof. Heermann. For two years (from March 1970 to March 1972), 108 cases of cartillage tympanoplasty were performed by author and the following results were obtained.
1) Distribution of cases

2) Of 108 cases, 19 cases (17.5%) have showed postoperative ear drum perforation. 3) Postoperative audiogram. (1) The postoperative average pure tone thresholds within 35dB. Tympanoplasty type I : 96%, type II : 77%, type III : 44%. (2) Gain of air conduction threshold more than 5dB. Tympanoplasty type I : 74%, type II : 90%, type III : 62%, type IV : 30%. (3) Air-bone gap, less than 20dB. Tympanoplasty type I : 70%, type II : 60%, type III : 50%. (4) The postoperative complications of all types are as followed. Cochlear damage 5 cases, Meatal narrowing 1 case.