Is it possible to cover the fenestra novovalis with Shrapnell's membrane? an anatomic study.

THE fenestration operation of today is the result of many successive efforts by otologists all over the world. Sourdille 1 created the tympanomeatal plastic flap to seal the widened tympanum and to cover the fenestra. Lempert 2 simplified this step and made the one stage technic at once a more practical and more desirable procedure than the many stage fenestration operation of Sourdille. In Lempert's judgment the covering and sealing of the fenestra with Shrapnell's membrane were of prime importance in the surgical technic, and the success or failure of the operation hinged to a great extent on this. In another paper 3 Lempert reported that osteogenesis occurred when the fenestra was covered with the meatal skin of the tympanomeatal membrane and that it did not occur when the fenestra was covered with Shrapnell's membrane. He came to the conclusion, therefore, that Shrapnell's membrane discouraged osteogenetic closure when it covered